Digitized by the Internet Archive

in

2012 with funding from

Wellesley College Library

http://archive.org/details/josephhaydnorfeoOOhayd

JOSEPH HAYDN

ORFEO ED EURIDICE
(L'Anima del
Dramma

filosofo)

per Musica,' London, 1791

!

by Carlo Francesco Badini

Libretto

ANALYTICAL NOTES

HAYDN

S
-

ET Y

Copyright 1951

OS

ON

THE CAST
ORFEO

Herbert Handt (Rome)

EURIDICE

Judith Hellwig (Vienna State Opera)

CREONTE
GENIO
PLUTO

Alfred Poell (Vienna State Opera)

FIRST CORISTA

Richard Wadleigh (Alassio)

Hedda Heusser

(Zurich Municipal Opera)

Walter Berry (Vienna State Opera)

members
Kammerchor, Vienna

Second, third, fourth Coristas, Baccante

Musicological Supervision:

etc.,

of the

Akademie

H. C. Robbins Landon (Vienna)

^^

Collation of Italian Text

,.

Supervisor of Recording Sessions

wirth (Hamburg)
_._
Richard Wadleigh

_.

Technical Supervision: Josef Duron (Vienna)

Cembalo and Correpetition: Kurt Rapf (Vienna)

The Chorus

of the

The Vienna

Vienna State Opera

State

Opera Orchestra

Conductor: Prof. Hans Swarowsky (Vienna)

Analytical notes copyright 1951 by Helmut Wirth

Libretto Translation copyright 1951
r

by

HAYDN

SOCIETY, INC.

CATALOGUE OF THE OPERAS OF HAYDN

OPERAS
Acide e Galatea, Festa teatrale (Giovanni Battista Migliavacca)
(Preserved only in incomplete Autographs)

(1762)

La canterina, Intermezzo (1766)

Lo speziale, Dramma giocoso (Carlo Goldoni) (1768)
Le pescatrici, Dramma giocoso (Carlo Goldoni) (1769)
L'infedelt delusa, Burletta (1773)

Dramma giocoso (Karl Friberth) (1755)

La vera costanza, Dramma giocoso (Franzesco Puttini & Pietro Travaglia)
II mondo della luna, Dramma giocoso (Carlo Goldini)
(1777)
L'incontro improwiso,
5

L'isola disabitata,

Anzione teatrale

(Pietro Metastasio) (1779)

La fedelt premiata, Dramma giocoso (1780)

Orlando Paladino, Dramma eroicomico (Nunziato Porta) (1782)
Armida, Dramma eroico (Jacopo Durandi) (1783/4)
Orfeo ed Euridice (L'Anima del filosofo), Dramma per musica (Carlo Francesco Badini) (1791)

SINGSPIELE, ETC.
Der krumme Teufel, Singspiel (Felix Kurz-Bernardon) (1751?). Lost
Der neue krumme Teufel, Singspiel (Felix Kurz-Bernardon) (1758?). Lost
La Marchesa Napoli (1762). Only tiny fragment extant
La vedova (1762). Lost
II

dottore (1762). Lost

II

Sganarello (1762). Lost

(1776)

MARIONETTE OPERAS
Philemon und Baucis (1773) l)
Die bestrafte Rachgier oder Das abgebrannte Haus. Lost
Didone abbandonata (Dido) (1777). Lost

Genovevens

1
)

vierter Teil (1777). Lost

Discovered in an old MS in Paris by Dr. Jens Peter Larsen in 1950; believed to

lost up to that time. A fragment exists in Haydn's own handwriting in Berlin,

have been

Staatsbibiliothek.

THE RECORDING
The preparation of Haydn's last opera for recording was without doubt the most ambitious task thus far
assailed by the Haydn Society, for not only was there no score, no orchestral parts, no piano reductions for the
singers but also no tradition in practical execution, as was the case with the Haydn masses, symphonies, concerti, etc. The Society had to prepare Haydn's score from several sources spread over Central Europe. It was
known, of course, that Orieo existed. The elder generation of Haydn scholars believed that the work was
left in

an unfinished

state; this belief originated

from the

fact that Breitkopf

&

Hrtel published a set of ex-

and piano reduction with the highpoints of the opera, so to speak (Euridice's death,
the final scene of the last act, Creonte's E major aria and several arias of Orfeo and Euridice together with a
selection of the choruses). It was therefore presumed that this was all that remained of the opera, and this theory
seemed doubly plausible in view of the fact that the opera was never performed. However, Botstiber, the biographer chosen by Breitkopf to complete the unfinished biography by C. F. Pohl, investigated the Autograph
in the Preussische Staatsbibliothek, Berlin, and came to the correct conclusion that the work was "nearly complete". Karl Geiringer (see Joseph Haydn, Potsdam, 1932) studied the Autograph even more thoroughly
and also came to the conclusion that the work was not at all unfinished. What none of these scholars knew,
or could have known
the archives of Prince Esterhzy being then closed to musicologists except by special
permission which was usually not granted
was that an "authentic" copy of the Autograph in the hand1
writing of one of Haydn's copyists
existed in Budapest containing one secco recitative (before Creonte's big
C major Aria) and several arias not found in the Berlin MS. These arias were probably torn out of the main
body of the Autograph and sent to Breitkopf for publication. What was also not known until the Haydn Society
began its intensive research on the subject was that the Autograph was in many cases in no particular
chronological order; nor, for that matter, is the Budapest source. For example, the first chorus ("Ferma il piede,
O Principessa") was found in the second act, after the death of Euridice, where it could not possibly fit
into the text (Euridice sings with the chorus, who tells her to flee from the forest into which she has wandered). An examination of the Budapest MS showed that the opening scene of the opera (Euridice alone)
in full score

tracts

x
)

The same handwriting

is

found in the British Museum, Symphony No. 98

(cat:

Royal Philharmonic Society

136).

"number" of the opera. In addition, it was maintained 2 that

the fourth act included no aria, as an examination of the Autograph must have shown. The other MS showed
that one of the arias missing in the Autograph should be sung by Orfeo after the Genio sees that Orfeo has
not kept his vow and has cast a glance at his loved one. Perhaps the most beautiful aria of all, Orfeo's scene with
solo harp, is missing in the Autograph and was restored only through the Budapest MS and the Breitkopf score.
Still another problem was the libretto, of which no copy outside of the Mss existed. Richard Wadleigh and Julia
Wadleigh worked intensively for nine months on this difficult problem, whereby, for these analytical notes, the
entire text had to be prepared and translated. The chronological order of the opera had been established before
the arrival of the Budapest manuscript, and it was a matter of considerable pride to find that the conjectures of
the Haydn Society's Viennese staff had, in every case, proved absolutely correct. A critical proof of our suggestions has now been established through the fact that the Hungarian source included references "Scena IV,
Act I", "Act I, Scena 3ta", which were totally lacking in the Autograph. The one missing recitative in the
Autograph was found intact in the other sources, so that it is now possible to present Haydn's great masterpiece complete and in its correct chronological form.
For purpose of critical interest, the work was prepared from the three sources as follows:
leads directly into the chorus, forming the

first

Act

Ouverture

Autograph only 3

Recitativo and Chorus (Euridice)

Autograph, Budapest, Breitkopf

Autograph, Budapest

Recitativo

Accomp

(Euridice)

Aria (Euridice)
Recitativo Secco (Corista, Euridice, Orfeo,
2

Budapest, Breitkopf
etc)

Autograph, Budapest

Geiringer, ibid. pp. 116, Der 4. Akt

enthlt bezeichnenderweise auBer Secco-Rezitativen und einem kurzen Instrumental)
stuck 6 Chornummern, doch keine einzige Arie".
3
The Ouverture is questionable. It was composed during Haydn's second London sojurn for his impresario, Johann Peter
)
Salomon, who wrote an opera called "Windsor Castle", for which Haydn supplied this Ouverture. In Haydn's Entwurf Catalogue, the
Ouverture is entitled music for an English opeia 1994 (he means 1794, of course). The fact that the main theme of the presto occurs
elsewhere in Orfeo does not prohibit the fact that it might have been written either with the ideas of Orfeo fresh in his mind or actually
for the opera itself, but it seems doubtful in view of the character of the music. It is included in this recording with the warning that
listeners should bear in mind the circumstances surrounding its composition. (See also Karl Geiringer, ibid. pp. 89, and Larsen, Drei
.

Haydn-Kataloge, Copenhagen, 1941,

8

last

page of Entwurf-Katalog.)

Aria (Orfeo)
Recitativo Secco (Corista, Euridice, Orfeo)

Chorus (Men only)

Recitativo Secco (Corista, Creonte, etc)
Aria (Creonte)
Recitativo Secco (Orfeo, Euridice, Creonte,
Duet (Orfeo-Euridice)

Act

Budapest, Breitkopf

etc)

Autograph,
Autograph,
Autograph,
Autograph,
Autograph,

Budapest, Breitkopf

Budapest
Budapest, Breitkopf

Budapest
Budapest
Budapest
Budapest
Budapest, Breitkopf
Budapest, Breitkopf

Budapest

Autograph
III

.")
Chorus ("Ah, sposo
Recitativo Secco (Orfeo, Creonte)
Chorus (Da capo of above, shortened)
Recitativo Secco (Creonte, Corista)
Aria (Creonte)
Recitativo Secco (Genio, Orfeo)
Aria (Genio)
Recitativo Secco (Orfeo)
Chorus
Recitativo Secco (Orfeo, Genio) (Chorus da Capo)
.

Budapest
Budapest
Budapest

II

Chorus (Amorini divini)

Recitativo Secco (Orfeo, Euridice)
Chorus (with Orfeo & Euridice)
Recitativo Secco (Corista, Euridice)
Recitativo & Aria (Euridice Death Scene)
Recitativo & Aria (Orfeo)
Recitativo Secco (Corista, Creonte)
Aria (Creonte)

Act

Autograph,
Autograph,
Autograph,
Autograph,
Autograph,
Autograph,

Autograph, Budapest
Autograph, Budapest
Autograph, Budapest

Autograph
Autograph
Autograph
Autograph
Autograph
Autograph
Autograph

Act IV
Chorus

(delle

Ombre)

Autograph, Budapest, Breitkopf

Recitativo Secco (Orfeo, Genio)

Autograph, Budapest

Coro

Autograph, Budapest, Breitkopf

di Furie

Recitativo Secco (Orfeo)

Autograph, Budapest

Chorus, Recitativo Secco, Balletto

Autograph, Budapest

Recitativo Secco (Orfeo, Genio)

Autograph, Budapest

Chorus

Autograph, Budapest

Recitativo Secco (Genio, Euridice, Orfeo)

Autograph, Budapest

Recitativo

& Aria

(Orfeo)

Budapest, Breitkopf

Recitativo Secco (Orfeo)

Autograph, Budapest

Coro

Autograph, Budapest

di

Baccanti

Recitativo Secco (Orfeo, Baccante)

Autograph, Budapest

Finale

Autograph, Budapest, Breitkopf

For purposes of recording certain alterations and supplementations of Haydn's often meagre indications
of phrasings, dynamic marks, and even instrumentation had to be made. A few of the major musicological
questions are listed here with our solution. In the entire work, it is not quite clear when Haydn intends the
bassoons to act as part of the Continue and when he intends them to be silent. For Creonte's C major aria at
the end of the second act Haydn gives no separate parts for the bassoons, but it is almost certain that, according to his own wishes as expressed in the famous Applausus letter, 1 ) the bassoons should double the
."
bass part. The same applied to several choruses. In the Recitativo Secco in the fourth act "O signor
Haydn's Autograph and the Budapest copy omit the last three bars of the bass line; while it is possible that
this is intentional, the absence of rests seemed to indicate that Haydn simply forgot to write in the part for
.

1
)

10

Original in Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde, Vienna.

cembalo and strings; this was supplied by the editors. In measure 32 of Orfeo's F minor
kopf score and Budapest MS (the aria is missing in the Autograph) have the following:

aria,

both the

Breit-

Violins
Oboes-

Clarinets
iB\>)

[Via

8va]

Bassoons
Bass

By changing the

violin part

The opening chorus

filled

marked

to f,

we

believe that Haydn's original intention

is

once more

clear.

gaps in the vocal parts which were obviously not

in for lack of time and were able to be supplied without difficulty.
of the third act contained various

For the recording two additional problems arose. One concerned the solo English horns which appear in
Euridice's death scene. Haydn writes, during the last few bars, a series of notes which simply cannot be played
on any English horn, then or now. The Society, therefore, used a bass oboe for these few measures; the difference in tone colour is scarcely noticeable. The second problem concerned the use of the Baroque harp, which
was obtained through the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, to whom we are most grateful. For the unaccompanied recitatives, we used one cello and one contrabass in addition to the cembalo (Ammer, Eisenberg;
I-single 8'; II- 4', 8', coupler.). A chorus of 48 voices was used. The solo parts, called "Corista" by the composer,
who come forward in the recitatives were members of the Akademie Kammerchor of Vienna. The following
number of strings were used: eight first violins, six second violins, five violas, four violoncelli and four contrabassi. The opera was recorded during December, 1950 in the Mozartsaal of the Konzerthaus in Vienna, Austria.
Vienna, Austria.

December, 1950

H. C. Robbins Landon

Secretary General
il

THE OPERAS OF JOSEPH HAYDN BEFORE "ORFEO"

by

HELMUT WIRTH

Joseph Haydn spent more than five decades of his life

he died at the age of 77
in writing an incredible
number of works. The scope of his gifted creations extends from the end of the Baroque period through the
period of "Storm and Stress" and the French revolution directly into classical German music, even
as far as the early stages of the romantic period. It was half a century of highest spiritual tension in which his
life was spent. However, it took long enough before people again remembered the one-tiane adored composer.
In the 19th century it was thought that they could casually earmark him as a pleasant jester and, at the most,
consider him as the necessary but more or less insignificant precursor of Mozart and Beethoven. Today, at
least, there are many indications that Haydn is being recognised as an instrumentalist of high rank, although
only a few of his compositions are performed in public: his London Symphonies and some string quartets, which
were created at the turning point of the 18th and 19th century. Also the two oratorios based on Hndel, i. e. "The
Creation" and "The Seasons", belong to the essential repertory of our concert life because of their complete
penetration of religious sentiment. That all these creations, however, are basically only the ultimate crystallization of a tremendous process of development, that they must, in a way, have been fought for in a long life of
ever increasing experience and in a continuous sublimation of the spirit, this is something which the public has
not quite realised until today. Among the most important stations on this long way leading to perfection are
apart from numerous symphonies, quartets, sonatas and many other works of all kinds, also the dramatic creations of the master. Extremely little is actually known about his compositions for the stage and their significance for the development of the opera. Only a few of his operas have up to now been torn out of oblivion, and
these have not found an established place in the operatic repertory. To this it must be added that the theatrical
works of Haydn have an important place in his inconceivably large legacy. It is difficult to see in them as important links im the progress of musical drama, although each one is, so to speak, sufficient unto itself and as a
whole they show as such all advantages of the composer; it would be quite wrong to classify them as unimportant, secondary products, for in these works Haydn develops his personal style to an ever increasing maturity
12

and completeness. Thus the opera can claim a highly important part in Haydn's creative work. Almost throughout his whole life, the opera accompanies him and fills him with a pride which seems fully justified to us
as his heirs; and yet no one knew his limitations in that sphere better than he himself. His biographer, Griesinger,
writes: "Haydn observed at times that he ought to have written more lyrical music, for he could have become
one of the first writers of operas", and in Phillipp Christoph Kayser's book, "A little of and about Music for the
year 1777", we read the following sentence: "Haydn has as yet written little for the stage. He could do it, if he
wanted to". In comparison to this we have Haydn's letter from the year 1787 to the Provincial Chief Administrator Roth in Prague, which is a good testimonial for the stern criticism Haydn exercised on his own person
and for his humanitarian feeling. As Roth demanded an Opera butia from him, Haydn wrote he could not oblige
him, "because all my operas are tied down too much to our personages (at the court of the Esterhzys), and would
moreover never produce the effects which I have calculated for the locality. It would be a completely different
matter if I would be so inestimably favoured to compose a completely new book for the theatre there. But
even this involves a great risk, as the great Mozart can hardly allow anybody to stand by his side."
Before Joseph Haydn became conductor at the court of Prince Esterhzy, he had already in Vienna, when
19 years old, made contact with the theatre. The famous Viennese comedian, Joseph Kurz, who called himself
Bernardon and enjoyed a great reputation as a writer of farces, invited him to write the music to his German
play, "The Limping Devil" [Der krumme Teufel]. The libretto was based on the novel, "Le diable boiteux", by
Lesage. However, after having been performed twice this piece was prohibited because of its rather vicious
references. Seven years later it was again produced in a new form and entitled "The new Limping Devil" [Der
neue krumme Teufel]. The music to these two "comic operas", as they are called, no doubt with some exaggeration, has unfortunately been lost. It was within the frame-work of the Singspiele performed at that time
and probably had no salient charateristics since Haydn was still very young and, in opposition to Mozart,
needed a long time to form his style and, moreover, had not as yet a particularly salient individuality. In any
case these experiments awakened the interest of the young composer for the musical stage and strengthened
his confidence in the application of music as a means for reproducing theatrical effects. If the disappeareance of
the music to these sung plays is regrettable, it is still more so in the case of the puppet operas which were
largely performed at that time. These works were already composed in the course of the Esterhzy period.
At least we know the names of some of these operas: "Genovevens vierter Teil", "Dido", "Philemon und Baucis",
13

etc.

The

latter is

preserved in a contemporary

MS

in Paris as well as

two small autograph fragments. With the

Haydn

operas were created for the house of Prince Esterhzy. As Haydn commenced his duties there in 1762, both the orchestra and available singers were exceedingly
small in number. This, of course, considerably cramped his style and led to the relatively small range of
effect of the early Haydn operas. The operatic repertory of the princely house showed a deep-seated dependency

exception of "L'Anima del filosofo",

all

other

upon Vienna. Haydn himself probably selected the works during his short seasonal stay in the Vienna
residence, taking into due consideration the princely liking for comic operas. Although the French Opera
Comique, and the Singspiele in the style of Leipzig and Vienna dominated more and more, they were unable
to replace the Italian Opera butia, which had its principal representatives in Galuppi, Piccini and Paisiello. Also
the Opera seria, which for a short time flourished again through the attempts of reformation made by Jommelli and Tratta, was so firmly established in the theatrical life that even Gluck did not succeed in breaking
its predomination immediately. In general, Haydn mainly created buffo-operas.
Of course, the Opre srie
stand at the beginning and at the end of his dramatic career. We will see how seriously Haydn took the
Opera butia in later years and how a number of sociological and humanitarian trends can be found in the
works which have remained on the territory of the traditional Opera butia, at least in their exterior appearance.
For this reason Haydn's operas must be considered here in their chronological sequence.
In 1762, three years after having composed his first symphony, Haydn composed his first Opera seria,
"Acide". The picturesque text of the libretto writer, Migliavacca, who is very close to Metastasio, gave him
rich opportunity to experiment in descriptive sound effects as far as this can be seen from the Autograph,
which has only been preserved in fragments 1 ). The overture shows the typical cut of an Italian operatic Sinfonia
and also does not exceed the prescribed number of measures in its thematic content. [Ex. 1], A striking
(7)

Allegro

x
Partly in the Bibliothque de L'Opra, Paris, partly in the Staatsbibiliothek, Berlin, and partly in the Esterhzy archives in
)
Budapest.

example for Haydn's early art of description is the scene in which Galatea learns about the death of Acide.
[Ex. 2]. The opera treats the Acis and Galathea theme, which was also used by Handel, and which can be best

izsz

fe=
F
Io

man

co

de

'

F
li

il-

|l P

? p

igiiipii jp I iH

**r

vor

ro

? p

re

? |J t

ci

(I

de!

under the "favola pastorale", the pastoral narration. In the sense of the old Neapolitan opera, it is
always the same theme which recurs, the same formulas, the same scenes and the likewise well-known "lieta
fine", the happy end, which consoles all opera goers. In "Acide" the hero of the same name, having been
killed with a rock by the giant Polifemo, appears in the last act as mountain spring, to join in the final quartet! Considerations of stylistic nature and of the locality forced Haydn to renounce the chorus, which was
so successfully used by Hndel.
Haydn's next creation for the stage was a comic opera, La Canterina [1766] 1 ). This was indeed no Opera
buffa in the usual sense of the word, but an Intermezzo, which was also very popular and which we can meet
later in Mozart's "Impresario", Cimarosa's "L'imprsario in angustie" or Lortzing's "The Opera Rehearsal".
The basic character of Haydn's work is purely parodie. He remains a parodist up to a point of persiflaging
himself. For Haydn not only makes fun of the Opera seria, but he also mocks his own beginnings with the
"Acide". A tremendous play on words makes "La Canterina" a complete farce and gives the appearance of an
action which is in fact non-existant. The music alone makes out of the parody a burlesque play built up around
the moods of the gifted but unbelievably spoilt singer Gasparina. It corresponds in the main with the highclassified

*)

Autograph

in the Esterhzy Archives,

Budapest
15

flown style of the Opera seria. The work begins at first in the style of the Opera bufia without an overture
for it is an Intermezzo 2 ). The melodies hardly distinguish themselves from the imported Italian manner. [Ex.

3],

Moderato

^3
i
m&
fan?.

>

See!

The second scene, however, shows essentially new moments. It is an accompagnato recitative with much
music and few words, characterising the impetuous lover of Gasparina in the forceful style of the young symphonist Haydn [Ex. 4]. This early creation already shows the free manner in which Haydn uses the outward

form

of the Italian

opera for his

own

Above all in the final phase of the first quartet, which is

action, Haydn shows his fascination with purely instrumen-

special purposes.

anything but a movement furthering the actual

tal efforts. The action is developed purely from the musical side. The parts also lack development in the
dramatic and psychological sense. They are not played out against each other
they merely act as expected from the beginning. The musical peak of the small work is the aria in C minor sung by Gasparina
in the second act. The oboes are here replaced by English horns, which give the aria a peculiarly dissimulated

2
)

16

Possibly an overture did exist, but, in any case,

it is

lacking in the original MS.

An opera performance in Esierhza. On the basis

dramma giocoso, "L'incontro improvviso" (1775).
two bass players; a bassoon player is
five second violins,

and costumes, it is believed to be the last act of Haydn's

Haydn. Reading from Haydn's score are a cello player and
in their midst (back facing audience). The other musicians able to be seen are (ca.) five first violins,
three violas and two oboes. (Oil painting in possession of V. E. Pollak, Vienna.)
of the stage settings
At the cembalo is

air.

this
[Ex.

also likes to avail himself of these

Allegro di molto

{5)

Haydn

means of expression. One would almost take

aria wholly seriously if it were not for the farsical trend which goes on throughout the whole piece
5]. Also the following accompagnato recitative of Don Pelagio makes use of Neapolitan elements of style;

In his later operas

FW
Non

chi

mi a

n?\fi~fi
*

jj

iu

ta

EE
non
a

v'

chi

u32:
m

11

te

non

W=
c

v'

chi

mi

sen

^
te

J333 J

i!

m*

mM ^^m

ml sen

no

21

4a F^

HC

belongs to the parody, for neither the Opera butia nor the Intermezzo knew, in their stage of development of that time, the orchestral recitative, and especially not to such a sentimental extent [Ex. 6].
yet

it

(6) Adagio

^^

p-

^yp

S
fe-

0"

rtr

ife

r *

f,

fete

&

Cembalo, Str.

and therefore negative attitude towards the theme, advances Haydn by one step, i.
step towards the Opera butia itself, which was to determine his work for the stage throughout the next
This parodie,

e.

the

fifteen
17

Haydn's actual and really serious operatic activity commences with the opera "Lo Speziale"
1
[1768] ). The theme deals with human society and with the world of the theatre. The text was written by Carlo
Goldoni, the greatest Italian author of comedies in the 18th century and is a so-called middle-class comedy.
The characters of the piece are taken out of the everyday life; they are realistic embodiments of human frailties, which, of course, seem exaggerated, but which are suitably purged with the aid of the music. These
frailties are especially brightly and humourously represented in the arias. Here, Haydn already shows what
he has learned from the Italian masters. The arias in the buffo operas have no established form; they are
adapted to the type being represented. Thus, a tremendous scope for changes is given when producing
the work. Haydn's "Apothecary" is musically very charming in its looseness. Arias and recitatives relieve each
other without the necessity for sudden scenic cuts. Already we can talk about thoroughly organized action. The
old apothecary, Sempronio, desiring to marry his ward, Griletta, has two young rivals, of which one, Mengone,
posing as apothecary, is employed in the dispensary of Sempronio. Although the introductory aria, sung by
Mengone, avails itself of the treasure of formulas of the Opera bufia which was so highly developed by Galuppi
and Piccini, it is written throughout in a personal style. One is automatically led to think of Mozart's
Leporello when hearing this aria [Ex. 7]. This impression is only strengthened by a second aria [Ex. 8]. The
years.

(Allegro

?)

rp
Tut-to il gior
I

j
-

no

'

J'

pi -sta. pi-sta,

J'*

pi-sta

=3
tf

v-

x
)

18

Autograph

m m

X==

in the Esterhzy Archives, Budapest.

F
che

^r
M
m m

^
vl

'"
-

ta

^P P^^
CT^

SE

m^
tri

CO

53F

sta

(8J

Allegro assai

quel cheha mal

Per

u^m
gj

di

^
sto

ma -co

Viol.

iy

P^

vi

vuol

del

se

5
*i*
bax-ba-ro

ra

^p

>

J3J"j j j

pS

^P

second rival, Volpino (little fox), is an exceptionally nice part for soprano. In the first act,
Volpino sings an expressive aria in G minor, which closely resembles the Neapolitan "vengeance aria", and
has here, of course, a parodistic function [Ex. 9]. The aria in the third act, too, is not to be taken seriously.
figure of the

(9) Presto

Ij

=0
J

9g^P =
r^r

^
*

m
1

te

j:

41

CB=I

2=

P^T^
A

3=

!rr

Dressed up as Turk, he, of course, sings in a Turkish manner.

We

will also find

an "alia turca" in Haydn's

later opera, "L'Incontro improvviso".

The old Sempronio, who

is

being fooled by Grilletta,

Mengone and Volpino, and who

finally loses the

2*

19

girl to

the would-be apothecary,

is

masterly characterised by

*
ue-staun al-trano-vl

in the

oh

ta

sen

^Cjjt

ff

J'J'

ti-te

co-me

hWTT
F

pi
a^

P
P=^f

Haydn

[Ex. 10].

Oh

pp

sen-ti-te

IP

*"=5

um&ono

ensemble

art.

further progress

IL^A^I
me

sta.

Haydn has made

co

sta

^ ^^
^5
s

-"

In contradistinction to "La Canterina", the final phase of the second act of the "Apothe-

peak of the action in a scene with the Notary Public. It is a type of variation-rondo with
a presto appended, of which there is an abundance in the Opera butfa. The contradictions are very clearly
drawn. In the first part of the finale, Sempronio, the old fool, comes on the stage with what he thinks are the
notaries, who, with the most respectable expression on their faces, begin to draw up the marriage contract.
The orchestra accompanies this with a "writing motif" [Ex. 11]. It is the typical comic situation of the Opera
cary", represents the

un

Un poco adagio

pfrr-ah
Col

la

pre-sen

])
-

Ji

te scrit

tu

f
20

'f

ra

pri-va

ta

re

1^=3

flpf

Pffif

Jij.

m
=rgf ygjj^gjj

Oboe

*Af

p j

sta ac-cor-da

-ta

iUJ *UJ

m
la

bel

P
-

la

p
Quil

let

Sfc

ta

wm
:

buff a.
full

The orchestra underlines the atmosphere with small but very

plastic motives

which show Haydn

in the

height of the buffo technique of his time.

The matter is a totally different one in the case of the succeeding opera "Le Pescatrici [1769] 1 which
likewise goes back to Carlo Goldoni. The musical language becomes more characteristic and the structure
more independent of the Italian pattern. For the first time the "parte srie" appear in the Opera buff a by
Haydn. These are serious parts, which belong to the achievements of the Opera buffa, dating back to the second
part of the 18th century. The text at first shows Count Lindoro, as the only serious part, and we learn only
)

from the music that Eurilda

among

the

girls,

is

his female counter part. Lindoro,

who

is

looking for Eurilda, but cannot find her

organises an examination, where the "fisher" girls Nerina and Lesbina also take part. These,

tremendous exaggerations and megalomania. An

important change has taken place in the whole constellation. With Goldoni, the criticism practised on society
has no important part. Haydn, however, emphasizes the difference with his music. The serious partners are no
longer dolls, the original of which can be found in the Opera seria, but real persons whom one feels are alive,
and who influence the course of the action. Unfortunately only the prelude has been preserved from the first
aria of Eurilda [Ex. 12]. But this is the key whereby we recognize her true position in the drama, enabling
of course,

make themselves immediately conspicuous by

their

U2) Andante grazioso

us to distinguish her from the other female parts.

"Apothecary") the marriage-mad guardian, but a wise

*)

Autograph

Her nominal

man who

father, Mastricco, is

contemplates

life

no longer

(as in

the

from the experience of his

in the Esterhzy Archives, Budapest.

21

age

The surrounding becomes a

[Ex. 13].

part of the opera

which must not be underestimated. The period

of

(B) Adagio

c_

nsLrip
Son

vec

SOD

chio

if

fur

SOD

bo,

vec

* *

the musical "Storm and Stress", which

was beginning

SOD

chio

j-j

5=1

j=

fur

bo

lf

and which brings about a proper crisis in all

spheres of Haydn's composition, begins to throw its first shadow 1 ). This new attitude was also brought about
by Haydn's probable studies of modern literature, the fruits of which are the music to Goethe's "Gtz von Berlichingen", which is unfortunately lost to us, and the dramatic music to the re-discovered Shakespeare, which
to close,

has also disappeared 2 ). In "Le Pescatrici", we find at first only hints of this new spirit. The Introduzione, designated as "Coro", in reality, however, only a quartet formed by the comic parts, introduces the rustic atmosphere [Ex. 14]. Various ensembles enliven the three acts of the piece. The ombra scene
the invoking of

Allegro

I'MlT
the shadows

IT

ffr

f
|

f f
|

U lSf\l

has its origin in the Opera seria. The basic idea of all this is again parodie, as in "La Canterina"; however, the production has taken on much finer forms. In accordance with the old usage, the scene
*) One notices similar tendencies in the Sinfonia Lamentatione (ca. 1768), the Sinfonia La Passione
(1768), Symphony No. 34
(D minor), etc.
2
Hamlet, King Lear (the music to King Lear attributed to Haydn is doubtful and appears to be by the contemporary composer,
)

W.
22

Stegmann).

is

in

major, and the English horns again replace the

flat

lyric tone of the

wind instruments

Andante

(g)

[Ex. 15].

Oreh.

Ftt^

ffep

mm

This
This

is

new

attitude,

PP to

which

is

niim

r f

=-

ya

oboes, determining, together with the horns, the

announced here,

is

an

f*

gg,

1
a

consolidated in "L'Infedelt delusa", composed in 1773 1 ).

linked in a great chain with the opera "La vera Costanza", which approaches the tragic. This group

is

"Storm and Stress" period of Haydn's creative activity for the stage. It runs parallel
with the development of the symphonic form right to the Paris symphonies [Nos. 82 87] and the string
quartet up to the so-called "Russian quartets" op. 33. "L'Infedelt delusa", termed Burletta, deals with
the conflict between father and daughter. The father wishes to marry his daughter Sandrina to a rich husband in order to profit by this match, whereas the girl has set her heart on a poor peasant lad. As the sister
of the poor lad loves the man who is intended for Sandrina, she tries to get out of it with the help of intrigues
and masquerading comedies. While it was the aristocracy and the middle class in "Le Pescatrici", it is here
the poor and the rich within the middle class which are played against each other. The ensemble in this opera
plays a still greater part than in the preceding works.
Even the introduction seems to give impulse to the action. It begins in a pastoral fashion and is obviously
very close to the Opera seria [Ex. 16]. After this lyrical introduction, Sandrina, the principal female part, appears.
rightly designated the

&

Bel
*)

^^

7n:

Autograph

se

ra

^^
ed

au

ra

J
gra

ta,

J
bel

r
la

|J"3 J
se

ra

ed

au

ra

J~Jj
gTa

ta

in the Esterhzy Archives, Budapest.

23

The contrast between father and daughter is the dramatic exposition. Here, Haydn changes the grouping of the
singers. Old Filippo, Sandrina's father, is the tenor. The same voice is required of the man, whom the father desires
as son-in-law, whereas Sandrina's choice

a baritone. This externally underlines the solidarity of the partners.

Haydn masterly describes in the arias the easy going mood of the father, but also his temper. Nanni, Sandrina's
lover, sings an aria in F minor, which in no way denies its spiritual relationship with the Opera seria. At first
is

we even

think of the chorus of the furies from Gluck's "Orfeo", until

[Ex. 17].

The appended F major movement

in

HI

time

**

is

notice Haydn's parodical intentions

written in the craziest butto-parlando and stands in

f=m
r

Oct. bassa

gloomy F minor part

rather perish than renounce Sandrina [Ex.

18].

zm

/s

we

Allegro di molto

se

effective opposition to the

which Nanni assures, in a glowering rage, that he would

duet, which here takes the place of the otherwise more often
in

J
J
pri-ma

J
di

J'

J.

per-der-la

u ^g

vo-glio ere

^m m m f^

par

Viol.

SB
m

i %

WJ WTJ
3

Basai

f^F^

^m

jjg

fry

\>

f>

g=

used "aria of vengeance", characterizes him well enough. One can imagine Nanni breathing hard with rage and
passionately declaiming during a prelude of only three bars. His sister Vespina merely utters a frightened
24

"Parla!" in

view

learns that "his" Sandrina

about

and tremblingly asks him what has happened to him. As she then
marry Nencio, they both swear vengeance [Ex. 19]. Strangely enough, Sandrina,

of this violent outbreak,

is

to

Presto

whom

the whole

work

whole opera, a highly dramatic effect.

Although the young Mozart has at that time not entered the circle around Haydn, it may be said that Haydn
came very close to his later friend in this work. The whole opera shows Haydn's often denied talent for the
stage, and this especially in the characterization of persons.
Humanitarian trends, at first only carefully suggested, do not develop fully until in the next opera. In the
Opera butia as a type they are not to be found. They are to be traced back to the influence of the French Singspieie which decided to face the problems of their time. Herbert Albert called the French Singspiele "the birds
of storm of the French revolution". In 1764, the Singspiel, "La rencontre imprvue", or the "Pilgrims of Mecca"
by Christoph Willibald Gluck was produced in Vienna. It was an early example of the humanitarian opera in
the sense of Rousseau, dealing with the difference between the false world of civilisation and the generosity
of exotic princes. Gluck's

revolves, hardly sings

at all in the

work, however, lacked the social-critical attitude of the pre-revolutionary period,

25

which was usual in France. Karl Friberth, who worked as singer and producer in Esterhaza, translated the
French libretto by Dancourt into Italian and thus made a theme for an Opera bufta out of it. The French dialogue
was replaced by the Italian Recitativo Secco. The adaptation also made changes in the cast. Not only the limited
personnel at the court was of importance, but also the desire for a clearer structure of the action. Friberth
was an exceedingly able and bright artist who was eager to work out the theme of the "Entfuhrung aus dem
without any secondary characters, if possible. Many a fine point of which
Serail"
for this is the real subject

use with precious humour is missing in Friberth's libretto, for instance the figure of the mad
painter Vertigo, the first "original genius" on the stage of the "Storm and Stress" period. In the Friberth-Haydn
version, the painter only plays an indirect part; Prince Ali, in the moment of greatest danger, dons a painter's
frock, and places himself in front of a canvass, which by a happy coincidence happens to be there, in order to
distract the attention of the guardians of the Harem, who were persecuting him and Rezia. This opera, which,
shortly before the last war, was resuscitated from an unmerited oblivion by Helmut Schultz 1 ) with great success, contains a vast number of happy ideas. In all probability, Gluck's charming work determined Haydn not
to economise with ideas. In spite of the associations with the Italian Opera bufta, Haydn's composition surpasses

Gluck made

full

contempory production, and if it would not be for Gluck's totally different manner of writing, one
could doubt which of the two works is to be given preference. How carefully Haydn set about his work is
proved by the secco recitatives, which the Italian composers, for instance, did not especially elaborate. There
are a number of sketches by Haydn in existence in which he has consciously changed the recitatives. His aim
for concentration on the essentials was probably in accordance with the adaption by Friberth, who often energetically condensed the talkative length of the French dialogues. Haydn, however, penetrates into the character of the parts to an extent which is, even for him, most extraordinary. He sets a series of various types
of arias against the small types of songs of Gluck's Singspiel. Thus Haydn's "L'Incontro improvviso" is the first
comic opera in which the most varying creations are equally united in one and classified according to purely
musical and dramatic considerations. The well known opera intrigue is limited to the part of the lying Calender,
a beggar monk, of whom Haydn makes good use. Serious and gay parts are mixed. The action, too, which was
placed in the East, marks the new way which corresponds to Haydn's humanitarian spirit. Despite this, the work

by

far the

*)

26

Piano score published 1941 by Musikwissenschaftlicher Verlag, Leipzig.

remains connected with the aristocratic sphere of the Esterhzys, with that super-refined culture which, by its
tolerant attitude, was open to everything that was new.
The special position of this opera becomes apparent through its recitative. The sixth scene of the first
act is a wholly serious accompagnato recitative of Prince Ali, in which he gives way to his desperate spiritual
condition. A longing motive of the 1st violin describes his loneliness [Fig. 20]. Accompanying the words
(2
I

^J

J I 1

|
ab-ban-do- na

to,

af

|J

flit

sen

SP S
*

i r p r p

to,

^^

za

co

p
stan

*
*

p
za

"Povero mio core, tu palpiti?", a new motive commences which makes the sentiment ever more penetrating
[Fig. 21]. Ali's thoughts turn to Rezia. In the allegro part, he shows his hatred for the Sultan [Fig. 22]. After

"TJTJ^LJ

J JfgfEJ
b

eo#' ottava bassa

however, he collapses. The recitative fades out. For the first time, Haydn here succeeds in creating the
phsychological deepening of word and scene. The individual human being with his individual fate replaces the
this,

27

 the master's presentiment of the Opera

improvviso" commences with an Introduzione,

which presents the Eastern atmosphere in an impressive manner. "Calenders", the beggar monks get intoxicated
on wine and tobacco, although the Koran prohibits them from indulging in any such luxuries. Thus the betrayal
which their leader is to commit against Ali and Rezia is clearly motivated. This insult against the religious
servants
an echo of the period of enlightenment
must not be underestimated. [Ex. 23]. In Gluck's case things
type

seria. "L'incontro

Allegro

jy

p|f

Che be -van da!

che

^fE

mm

Uf

fe
li

guo

cez

PUT

la dol

re!

IE

mm

za ed

sa

il

Hi

fl

J5

e=Je

po

re

fan

no

ral

le

grar

il

cor!

mm

221

commences with a song sung by Osmin, Ali's servant; only in the third
act he lets the "dervish" sing a sarcastic song on the stupidity of the people, who want to see real servants of
Allah in the "Calenders". This song became famous through Mozart's piano variations K.-V. 455 [Ex. 24]. Haydn
are completely different. His opera

Andante

m
(24)

les

by

far surpasses

Gluck

hom-mes

pi

eu

se

ment

r |
pour

la

Oq f

tons

nous

tien

in the characterization of the parts. Gluck's serious figures

nent

still

act

very stereotyped in

comic opera. Heroic qualities of Prince Ali can be sensed in Haydn's work as soon as the recitative of
the sixth scene; they become still more apparent in his two arias, especially in the aria, "Il guerrier", to which

this

28

the prelude gives an inspiring beginning [Ex. 25]. Here

we can

find

something of the progressiveness which

Weber's Hiion has in Oberon. Rezia, too, is more independent than in Gluck's work. Her moving aria in the
first act reminds one of Eurilda's aria from "Le Pescatrici" [Ex. 26]. Completely in the Neapolitan style, how-

$^

Andante

Quan

to af

flit

to

mi

-X

m n^ ^m
J

r
sor-pren-de

or

con -ten

to

vi

ta

ren-de

her great aria in C major in which the triadal thematic content belongs to the favourite requisites of
that time; but here too Haydn allows motives of the Opera butta to influence him. It is the ensembles which
form the musical climax. To his most beautiful inspirations belongs the terzetto, which Rezia sings with her
ever,

is

two confidants, Dardane and

about how to get in touch

with Ali. As this is a kind of dream narration and Haydn selected the key of E flat, one naturally thinks of an
ombra scene, all the more as the composer again uses English horns with French horns and muted strings. The
terzetto, consisting of two verses, uses the three voices in the simplest but thematically most homogeBalkis. It is the lyric

echo

of their joint deliberations

29

manner

neous

[Ex.

After

27].

&l
f

<L

strictly

^^

=F=F

lo

j>

y^

bra

un

SO

JL

?=

j>

gno

move more

Rezia,

freely.

above

all

.}

&
ff
che_

di

let

ta.

# F #

T"J

J.

^f^

fci

The otherwise very sparsely employed use of chromaticism plays a big

thematic return to E flat major with peculiar figurations throws a veil over the beginnsoloist.

rfi

io

the voices begin to

C r
J

J.

comes out well as a

sem

part [Ex. 28].

beginning

Mi

others,

this

fe

cer

^M

cer

no.

b; bp p
no.

m 90

to

^m
per.

>i

10

to

no.

per

m
mia

mia

per

mia

m
f

ing of the second verse. After this terzetto the lovers' duet must be considered as particularly happy.

It

is

unusual for Haydn, and represents, according to the ancient aesthetics, the key of
"heavenly rapture". This duet represents the lyric peak of the opera. In contrast to Gluck, where the aria of
Ali is the centre and thus reaches the highest sentiment in the longing of the prince, Haydn already sees the

written in E major, which

30

is

humanitarian sense. The instrumentation is very soft: muted strings

with oboes, bassoons and horns in E. Ali's broad theme is taken up with a new text by Rezia. The piece closes
on the dominant (B major), and the finale in G major follows immediately
a good dramatic idea, for the happy
rapture is followed by a cruel reverse, which destroys all hopes for the time being. Tremoli in strings, syncopation and diminished seventh chords underline the dreadful atmosphere which the news of the sudden return
of the sultan produces. Naturally, Ali's servant Osmin, who peacefully continues chewing, appears when the
general excitement is at its highest and gives the whole scene a crowning touch of grim humour. The servants
of the Opera butta know at least one way out, and thus the second Finale ends with a frightened jabbering
which does not exclude the hope for salvation.
For the first time in a Haydn opera, the Finale of the last act is not treated as a matter of secondary importance, as was his usual practice; for this, too much is happening. Last but not least the treacherous beggarmonk gets his well deserved punishment. Of course the Sultan forgives the lovers, for as a man of "clean
manner of thinking" he is rather under obligation to do so, and in a small duet scene, which is then taken up by
the other singers, Rezia and Ali express their thanks again for the happiness which they had thought irretrievably lost. Of course one expects in an opera with such a theme Eastern music or at least airs which were then
thought to be Eastern. C. F. D. Schubart emphasizes in his "Aesthetics" the pronounced war-like character
of Turkish music. The French composers made rich use of these new musical possibilities. Haydn, who in
some of his compositions had genuinely re-experienced the Hungarian and Serbian element, and had probably
often heard the music of the "janizaries" in Vienna, gives hints of "Turkish" airs in the third act of the opera
"Lo Speziale", although they are meant as a parody. In "L'incontro improwiso" the violins imitate castanets
in the parts sung by the Calenders. The Turkish march in the third act, however, is less "orientally" effective
by its instrumentation than by its theme [Ex. 29]. These experiments, however, by no means approach the effects
fulfillment of the longing in the classic

Moderato

31

which Mozart achieved in his "Entfuhrung" or which Haydn achieved

for London [G. A. No. 100].

later in his "Military

Symphony", written

Mondo dlia luna" (1777) stands in sharp contrast to the previous two operas, but the critical brain
of Haydn also rules this gay farce by Goldoni. This applies firstly to the secco recitatives. Buonafede, a precious
name in view of what is to happen, has a longing for the distant: he wants to get to the moon whose key is
1

"Il

major.

flat

lation
series

As soon

as the topic turns to his favourite subject

moves towards E flat major. His first

of scenes. The scene begins with a secco

aria

is

and

happens very often

this

of a strange structure.

recitative in

It

the modu-

actually comprises a complete

which the bogus astronomer,

Ecclitico, gives instruc-

keep the telescope prepared for Mr. Buonafede. Now a ritornello for strings alone
in D major begins, which reminds us of the andante of the "Schoolmaster" symphony written in 1774 [G. A. No. 55]
with its captivating melody and its gravitational rhythm [Ex. 30]. That he has seen "something very beautiful"
tions to his fake famuli to

a)

Sinfonia

J.J

r-i

Opera

m
b)

trrr

expressed by Buonafede in a short recitative and shorter presto. He continues to turn his
telescope. D major and C major resound and the instrumentation increases in volume. Then he sees the moon
quite clearly. The ritornello starts in E flat major. His longing increases. It takes effect throughout the Finale
of the first act, likewise written in the key of his longing for the moon. In the adagio, the uncanny flickering
movement of the violins can be heard [Ex. 31]. Buonafede believes himself to be near the achievement of his
(i.

e.

the moon)

is

Adagio

Opera, partly in the Berlin Staatsbibliothek and partly in the Esterhazy Archives. Piano score
) Autograph partly in the Paris
published by Edition Adler, Berlin, 1932, edited by M. Lothar.
32

Recording Session

oi

Orieo

in

the Mozartsaal of the Konzerthaus in

Vienna.

o
a

>
-c:

"5

Ft

".-=?-

is

$31

^^ H 4^ ^

O
a

a
a

reach it and faints. He is thought to be

dying. Now the real fun starts, with questions concerning his last will and legacy and other jokes of that kind,
until everything turns into the rather threadbare moral: "Who lives, lives; let the dead rest in peace." The
musical peak of the opera is the lovely duet in the third act. The harmony is overshadowed by a certain melancholic element. The theme of the first part could be the andante of a Mozart Piano Concerto [Ex. 32].

He

aim.

takes leave in B

flat.

Then he works up

to

flat

major,

fails to

Largo

(3$)

jm
SSI
r

rfr

rfr

Chronologically "La vera Costanza" 1

rfT

rTr
t

rf

=
r

*f=*

r f f

precedes "The World on the Moon", but musically and above

all dramatically, "True Constancy" continues the chain of thought which began with "L'incontro improwiso".
"The World on the Moon" is a happy interlude but contains little of the new style which Haydn was attempt)

(ca. 1776)

ing to create. Humanitarian and sociological concepts have the greatest influence here.

The thrilling parts of

a minimum, whereas the serious parts

by the music. The buffo element is limited to

throughout the whole work. The history of the creation of this opera is not without interest. In 1776,
was commissioned to write this opera for Vienna. In spite of the protest launched by the Emperor
II., the performance was actually prevented by intrigues. Instead of it, an opera with the same title
Pasquale Anfossi, which had been performed for the first time in Venice in the same year, was given.
withdrew his work and had it performed in Esterhza in 1779. Probably he was acquainted with

the text are accentuated

spread

Haydn
Joseph
but by

Haydn

Anfossi's opera. However, in contrast to the Italian master,

Haydn

who

as a pupil of Piccini, took pleasure in spacious

advance to concentrate. Especially in the third act, scenery and music are concentrated
to the utmost. There are, however, likenesses. The two arias of Baroness Irena are similar in key and character.
These are arias in the Neapolitan style, purposely sung by persons of social standing. The thematic material,
scenery,

*)

tried in

Complete holograph copy in the Paris Conservatory Library; sketches and fragments
-

in the Berlin Staatsbibliothek.

33

too,

shows likenesses

@
^*-s

[Ex. 33].

Much more

important, however,

the part in the

is

A f
Anjossi

first act,

by which we con-

Haydn

work was not

unknown

Haydn. To the words, "Tu prendi in ogn'istante per

mosca un elefante", Anfossi writes an impressive buffo motive, which turns up again in the first Finale with
slight alterations. Haydn also makes use of this brilliant combination. In his case, however, the air turns up
again without any rhythmic or melodic changes, built on the confusion of voices of the final part and influencelude that Anfossi's

altogether

ing the thematic structure of the other parts [Ex. 34].

>t

Tupren-diin

o-gnil-stan

te

per

to

more

Still

surprising

mo-scaun e

le

1
i

-fan

te,

an

is

the fact that the structure of the

p
gril

lo

b
per

ca-val

lo

completely the same in both cases. This scene was probably originated by Anfossi, as the distraught character of it does not seem to be in keeping with Haydn's style. If we
compare the recitatives of the first act, we can also find some similarities. These mutualities, however, are
again contrasted by a vast number of differences, which can be seen from the beginning. Haydn amalgamates
overture and Introduzione to one and thus achieves a very dramatic beginning which sets the basic key for the
entire opera, whereas Anfossi commences with an ordinary Sinfonia in three movements. His Introduzione
remains independent, more an illustrative description of the gale which dominates the introduction than the
great scene of the count in the second act

is

same on the acting parts. Similarity to Haydn could only be found in the orchestral movement accompanying the words of the Baroness. Anfossi, however, remains within the sphere of the buffo, even
spiritual effect of the

34

Haydn

in the aria of Rosina.

the foreground [Ex. 35].

brings

human

The contrast

sentiment as an elementary result of spiritual need and despair into

still more obvious in the difference between the two forms of the first

is

A.f
i

Con

no

m
ne

te

ro

so

spi

$E3

Ro

ro ah

si

aa"

mi

jji

di

ce -va

mm

accompagnato recitative. Anfossi's quiet and careful transition from the secco to the accompagnato is contrasted
by Haydn's more accentuated dramatic scene. The big scene and aria of Rosina in the second act likewise show
far-reaching differences. Anfossi's E flat major is contrasted by Haydn's gloomy F minor, which he chooses for
Rosina's outburst of despair. The Italian is aiming for an obviously clear interpretation of the dramatic situation, whereas Haydn interprets the sorrowful feeling of loneliness from within. He considers the dramatic as
a mirror of spiritual events [Ex. 36]. The difference between the two love duets in the third act is similar. For

&

fe

Va -do,

f#^3
r^ffl*
85

***

iM
ma

nm ^ *m
m

do-ve,

do -ve

jt

si

volgo

il

pie-de,

do-ve

/7\

sk

jig

il

^
S S

figlio

oh

Dio,

/7\

B^
HH
^m
w=w

co-me potro

sal

m
1

Anfossi this represents the peak of the opera. He writes a piece in many parts with splendid orchestral support
in order to bring out this significance clearly. Haydn uses the duet merely as an echo and a fading of a great
preceding shock. They have only the key of B flat in common.
3*

35

also

The development of Haydn as a dramatist,

shows us the increasingly organic use of the

his progress from the primaeval sphere of the comic opera,

final parts of the

various acts. The inclusion of humanitarian

"comic" operas contain more serious happenings than comic ones. Basically "La vera Costanza" is a serious opera, not an Opera seria of the old type, but
a musical drama of the type of Mozart's "Marriage of Figaro" in which human claims are much more serious
than at first appears. In the Finales of the first two acts the actors confront each other with the greatest contrast. The principal motive, which Haydn follows up in this work with real sincerity, is the uniting of
two lovers under disregard of social prerogatives. The first Finale brings out the two opposing couples. The
composer has here the possibility to deepen the characters psychologically, and Haydn has made fantastic use of
this opportunity in a way which we do not expect. The second Finale is grouped around a scene with a
duet between Rosina and the count. Violent changes in key indicate the inner tension. The sung parts join
freely with an continous orchestral movement composed out of several themes. An expressive "recital" often
replaces actual singing. Thematic likenesses with the first act can be found as the count enters the scene and
finds only the child instead of his beloved, for which he has been desparately looking [Ex. 37]. The formal

and

critical references to society results in the fact that the last

rn p

^^ ^
II.

j\J\r

Uj

Acl

'"

concludes in a Stretta, which reaches a canonic

sextet and therefore no longer permits individual treatment of the various parts. Thus the two Finales have
become the main supports of the problem in this opera. Here Haydn's spiritual relationship to Mozart bestructure of this scene approaches the form of the sonata.

comes apparent. None

It

contemporary Italians succeeded in anything like this advance into spiritual

subtleties. For Haydn this opera meant a new basis. He also applied the newly gained form in the following
buffo operas [as far as one can still classify them under this heading]. In "La Fedelt premiata" 1 ) composed
in 1779/80, the approach to Mozart's manner of writing becomes more and more apparent. We only need to
*)

36

Autograph

of the

in the Esterhzy Archives;

Autograph fragments

in Berlin, Staatsbibliothek.

look at an aria of Amaranta, written in the certainly rare key of B major [Ex.

cjjh'f
abounds here

too.

The opera

Y
r

cJ"

I% 1*

38],

The

serious element

p^pp

closes with the death of Melibeo, a really evil character. Haydn's organic

manner

opera through the choice of tonality. Thus the second finale is in E flat
major. This is also the key of the arias sung by the"serious" lovers, Celia and Fileno. As a dramatic figure, the
bad character, Melibeo, is a mixture between Calender from "L'incontro improwiso" and Don Basilio from
and so
Rossini's "Barber of Sevilla". Melibeo sings in C minor
still close enough to the E flat events
reveals his evil nature. Thus Haydn brings the counterparts together by selecting his keys. Yet "La Fedelt
premiata" is hardly a dramatic piece in spite of the abundance of beautiful music. It is almost a produced
fable. But its significance for Haydn's further dramatic development may not be underestimated. The
regrouping of the relationship of the serious partners to the comic ones actually announces the final phase
of the old Opera bufia. If the serious couple was hitherto taken from the ranks of the aristocracy, a simple
shepherd couple replaces them here, and the buffo part is only represented by the insane count Perrucchetto,
who can be taken for a precursor of the Knight Rodomonte in Haydn's "Orlando Paladino" (1782) 1 ).
This opera has the subtitle "Dramma eroicomico", which was already once used by Salieri in 1772. The
heroic-comic character is emphasised by the fact that there is not a single really serious part in this opera.
In his Haydn biography Griesinger observes: "Haydn prefers to find the comic side of a topic and usually
finds it easily." Nowhere can this be better applied than to "Orlando". The Roland theme was often treated
in literature. Bojardo started in 1495 with his "Orlando innamorato", Ariosto followed in the 16th century
with his famous "Orlando furioso". Since that time the narration of Angelica and Medoro enjoys a popularity,
of thinking again asserts itself in this

which was perhaps only exceeded by that of the Armida narration in Tasso's "Gerusalemme liberata", or
the Orpheus theme. There are four Roland comedies by Lope de Vega alone. Handel's "Orlando" and Gu*)

Autograph (incomplete)

in British

Museum, London; Autograph fragments

in the Berlin Staatsbibliothek.

37

however, are the direct precursors of Haydn's opera. Handel's work, which
was performed for the first time in 1733, is a typical Opera seria but surpasses by far the usual type of opera
in depth of passions. Guglielmi again takes up the theme from the comic side without dropping the chivalrous note altogether. It may have been this amalgamation of chivalry and the grotesque comic element which
attracted Haydn, if he was at all acquainted with the work. We know nothing about Guglielmi's opera
having been performed in Vienna or Esterhza. Still there are common traits, and even if Haydn never saw
Guglielmi's opera, the librettist Nunziato Porta was certainly acquainted with it, for the sixth aria of Haydn's
"Orlando" has the same text as the eighth, "D'Angelica il nome" from Guglielmi's work. Moreover, both
arias are in E flat. Haydn, however, precedes it with a passionate orchestral recitative. Both operas end with a
coro in rondo. A vast amount of heroic notes is struck in the opera. In places these even attain a great independency. Yet it is all intended as farce, as a parody on an overemphasised and therefore comic heroism. The
subject is not treated in its reality. Supernatural powers are constantly interferring in the most farsical way.
In Haydn's "Orlando Paladino" we also have something of the cynical superiority which gives Mozart's "Cosi
fan tutte" or Verdi's "Falstaff" their mirror-like significance. We read it at the beginning of the last fugue in
Verdi's opera: "Everything on earth is only fun and we are being made fun of". Deviating from Haydn's
earlier operas, a great number of persons are acting in this one, and it is only this score which contains exact
instructions for the stage. One can see the joyful eagerness with which the master applied himself to this
glielmi's "Le pazzie d'Orlando",

thankful theme.

unveiled in front of the eyes of the spectators. The scene of the first act is set in a
beautiful garden, the second shows at the beginning a lonely beach by the sea and in the Finale the cave
of the witch, Alcina; the third act shows the Elysian fields. The last picture unites all actors in a small wood
for the final chorus. The frequent change of scenery and numerous transformations are not only to
enliven the action, but they are parodie in a double sense: Haydn pokes fun at the Opera seria and also
rich scenery

is

Viennese pantomime, thus creating the real basis for the comedy. Characters and situations are drawn with strong exaggeration. All this, however, is united by a clever key technique which shows
the progressive Haydn to be still the descendant of the Baroque period, despite his spiritual connection with
Mozart. One can only call this highest artistic consciousness. Orlando presents himself in two principal keys:
E flat major and A major. E flat major is his personal heroic world out of which his craze has sprung. But
persiflages the

38

by adhering to this key Haydn pokes fun at the hero in the second act, as he flees from the dragon of Alcina
[Ex. 39]. However, the moment he comes under Alcina's power in the cave (this is of course brought

a)

b)

Au

frfr [f

w
W

&
^
ihr

il

mlr bin ichvorEnt-set-zen

P ^^
^m ^^

HE

tJier

Wf

ver-ruch

ten Nacht

4=-

"F"

XT

fp

ge-spen-ster

xc

HufMLsra

ti

about by witchery) her key, i. e. C minor or C major, sets in, and not before he is again transformed to his
normal state does Roland sing in E flat major, whereby he plainly shows that he is not yet cured from his
craze. In the A major region he is easier to deal with and more practical, for this key belongs to the circle
in which the passionately desired Angelica moves. A major 1 ) is finally also the key of the last rondo in

which the cured Roland

is

returned to the world

[Ex. 40].

Allegro

mjn

U
3#w
^i

^fe

Madness when in love and heroism are the characteristics of Orlando. His counterpart, Rodomonte,
a sabre-rattling bumpkin squire. This "King of Barbarism" (this is his name in the text book) is looking
*)

One cannot

fail to

is

for

recognise the melodic relationship with the chorus of the Amoiini Divini in the second Act of Orfeo,

written in the same key.

39

a duel with Roland in a quite unnatural rage. His main key is B flat major, which is also the dominant of
Orlando's heroic key. Even the overture refers to him. It strikes the ironical note which is preserved
throughout the opera [Ex. 41]. In the first act he suddenly rushes in the idyllic sphere of Eurilla and Licone,
\4i)

Vivace assai

own honour

B flat major, immediately after the G major aria of Eurilla. In the first
Finale he also sings in "his" key. Only the second act he commences with a great aria in C major. This,
however, has its reason in the fact that Alcina has transformed him by way of punishment for his fighting
craze! He has his characteristic counterpart in the flute-playing Medoro, whose wretchedness is already
revealed in the first finale. This poor lad is most unhappy in the second act. A recitative with the shepherdess, Eurilla, who is to console him, is practically over-burdened with expressive material. However, in the
moment of greatest despair Medoro sings just in Roland's E flat major, and with this beautiful aria (which is
related with Tamino's picture aria from the "Magic Flute") he awakens our sympathy [Ex. 42]. Another point
again emphasising his

(42)

Adagio cantabile

JlJi

rr |i

Dil-lecheunin-fe

^^
40

*i

,j3
li

ce,

in

un sven-tu

^^#
m

ra

fe

iJ
>r^>rrCr
STM-^ri;,
Jerr

li

toa-man-te,

in

^k
f

mez-zoaque-ste

pian-te

il

mi

se-ro pe

*==

ri

te 1

P'

fe p

taken in advance from the "Magic Flute" is Angelica's suicide scene in the second act. Great unisoni in
G minor, the lowest key in her scope, depict her uneasiness, her desperate search for Medoro and her
difficult decision to renounce life [Ex. 43]. Of course the plan is not carried out. Medoro and Angelica are
eol ouaau
basso
Or eh. cut
wren,

^^mmm

t\

MitMutwillichmein Le-benenden,dasmichbe-trogen

Ik.

it-

Oreh. unisono in Oct.

by the key

main

^^

strzichmichlndieWogen

vondiesenKlippen

-a*f'ff|_

w^

j,.,..^r ir r>
|

>

>

ui_

F minor and F major. Otherwise Angelica moves more in

the D major
A major region. This couple is characterised by a morbid sensibility and lack of vigour.
How eager to live are, in comparison, the socially inferior couple, Eurilla and Pasquale, although they are of
a completely different character. Eurilla is the fresh girl from the country; Pasquale is Roland's shield-bearer
and servant, but in reality as frightened as a mouse. Yet his great C major aria which he sings in the second
act has the effect of a diminutive of Rodomone's aria in the same act [Ex. 44]. The lover's duet in B flat reminds
linked together

v~'

ft

a)

iiiuiii'i

of their

arias in

^^ f^tffCJi^jHi
i

us distantly of the Papageno duet in the "Magic Flute" and

on

his

own

lovers' duets

which are preferably

in

flat [Ex.

is,

45].

J'

rf

mr u

ii
Vit - to-ria.vit-to-ria,

Jim

MP

trom-bet-te suo-na-te

same time, Haydn's successful persiflage

The Deux ex machina trick is brought to life

at the

(45)

41

again with Alcina, the witch.

(We

"short horrible" Sinfonia in

are to meet

again in Haydn's last opera). Alcina must take care of everything.

Completely distant keys are sought to depict the ghostly note of her appearance. Accompanied by ten bars of a

im

it

minor, she comes to the top of the earth [Ex.

tUfi

46].

Her key

C major

minor.

Roland, which

Haydn

is

or

a.
9-

She dominates the second Finale and forces everybody under her

^gg
spell

and above

all

expresses with superior logic by his key-technique.

"Orlando Paladino" terminates Haydn's activity in the sphere of Opera buffa and simultaneously represents a peak in the history of the comic opera. And yet a tragic sentiment is hidden behind the gay mask,
which the poet Jean Paul describes in Haydn's case as "like an expression of disdain for the world". The
eagerness for new ideals can be felt everywhere, and "La Fedelt premiata" and the heroic-comic "Knight
Roland" are, with "La vera Costanza", nothing else but a step towards wholly serious opera.
We saw that Haydn started his creative activity for the Esterhzy stage with the Opera seria
"Acide" in 1762. It was not before 1779, that is before having composed the operas "La Fedelt premiata" and
"Orlando Paladino" that he applied himself again to really serious opera. This last group comprises the
works "L'Isola disabitata", "Armida" and "L'Anima del filosofo". With "L'Isola disabitata" 1 ) begins the struggle
for a new fulfillment of the old form which, by then, was hardly fit to survive. Haydn took the text from
Metastasio, the most important opera librettist of the 18th century.
2
)

Autograph was in the Cloister of Gttweig until 1940. Otherwise the piece survives through an Elssler
MS, in the Berlin Staatsbibliothek, is, however, Haydn's second version of the work, undertaken
life for a projected publication by Breitkopf which never occurred. Of the original version there are

tiny fragment of the

copy with additions by Haydn;

this

during the last years of his

various MSS scattered throughout Central Europe.
42

Having arrived with. "La vera Costanza"

one tends to think
comic and serious opera

at a point

which no longer admitted a separation between the

of a "middle class" tragedy in the sense of Lessing

disabitata" has the effect of limiting matters to a very small sphere of

human

life.

"L'Isola

Perhaps Haydn thought to

achieve with this work a revival of the opera through the music, for the libretto in its intermezzo-like shortness and lack of action seemed to create conditions which were particularly favourable for the musician.

was made

an opera by Bonno, Holzbauer, Jomelli, Tratta, Naumann, Schuster, and

Boroni
before Haydn attempted it. The earliest adaptation to music
to name only the most important
known to us was that by Bonno. It was performed in Vienna in 1752. This opera follows the well known pattern:
secco recitative and aria in changing sequence; a coro finally unites all the singers. Boroni's work first performed in 1775 is of greater importance, but without any extraordinary effects. Any influence of these
compositions on Haydn seems impossible, and it would even be difficult to reconstruct any connections between Haydn and the works by Jommelli and Tratta, who are by far the more important composers. The
lack of a dramatic exterior forced Haydn to shape things from within. The "operetta", as he called it in a letter
to Artaria, consists of two acts. The overture in G minor gives in a reduced scale all the moods and emotions
of the opera. It is of a symphonic nature and differs completely from the roaring Italian sinfonia. Through
it we recognise the importance of the symphonist Haydn of this period, who was beginning to concentrate the
results of his work. The theme of the allegro part, which stands in close connection with the introduction,
shows a strict thematic structure [Ex. 47]. This is the only opera where Haydn does completely without a
"L'Isola disabitata"

into

Q?) Vivace

te
*
/

" ri
cij-

fc#

riCr

&m

5i

8=

mmsuis

secco recitative, following a trend which was started in 1731 by Johann Hasse.

durchkomponiert similar to Jomelli's "Demofoonte", for even the arias have

We

can

call

Haydn's opera

lost their usual length.

They

are
43

no longer "stations of sentiment" but carry further a development which has already started. In this opera we
even have a type of Erinnerungs-Motivik which has nothing to do with Wagner's later motives which recur
throughout the whole composition, but has its origin in the Opera bufia. In this connection one recalls the
1st act of "La vera Costanza", which shows this method in a very impressive manner. Thus Costanza is sitting on the beach chiseling an inscription into a block of stone. A motif sung in A flat major expresses her
spiritual conditions, and a subsequent suggestive motif accompanies her work [Ex. 48]. These two motives

Largo
b)
jfeni

vTWW err
sw
v p r vvv

fir

trr fff

/ v
jjfe

PP

p->

are jointly executed up to the point

mh

where Costanza reads the inscription, thus bringing about an increase

in the dramatic events. The motif in A flat major and this last part recur in the further course of the opera. Apart
from this multimotivated structure, we have also the recitative based on one motif only. The second scene
is a good example of this. Here we have only one joyous motif characterizing Sister Silvia and also affecting
Costanza [Ex. 49]. It is exactly the child-like trait in Silvia which probably was the principal attraction for

ra

J=^

*
44

$
t

reason he followed up the development of that part of the opera with much greater care than
he used in the case of the other parts. The arias of this work leave a somewhat discordant impression. Some
show clearly their origin in the Neapolitan tradition while others continue the characteristics attempted in the

Haydn 1 ). For

recitatives.

more

this

Thus the

fifth

aria

Opera

"Come

il

The

vapor s'accende"

is

a typical example of the old simile aria belonging

A flat major

again takes up the key used at the beginning

of the opera and continues the note struck in the recitative. In doing without the da capo ioim, we see Haydn's
or less to every

aim to achieve new

seria.

first

aria in

results in order to surpass the

accustomed pattern. The passionate counterpart to

this

Gernando's delicate aria in the second act. In the great quartet Finale Haydn forgets dramatic tension and
makes festive music. The overflowing joyousness takes on oratorical forms, pointing not only to his
late works but equally to Beethoven's "Fidelio". Only the second part of this copious movement returns to the
sad atmosphere of the preceding scenes. In this opera, Haydn does without detailed characterization. All
parts are firmly established types which do not change or transform. There is no psychological development,
as in the operas of Mozart, but merely a sharply- outlined embodiment of the characters to be presented on
the stage. Silvia alone is placed outside of this framework, if only by the music. Already at that period Haydn,
as a free artist, succeeded in presenting the highest virtues of general humanity to the society in spite of
Metastasio's book, which, as such, is of little importance.
Surprisingly enough, he again takes up the old form of the Opera seria in his opera "Armida", composed
in 1784 2 ). The theme was taken from Tasso's "Gerusalemme liberata". Monteverdi had taken from that epic
poem the duel between Tancredi and Clorinda; Lully presented the story of Rinaldo and Armida; Pallavicino's
opera, "La Gerusalemme liberata", brings an amalgamation of both (the text was written by Corradi). This work
was performed for the first time in Dresden and was presented in 1695 in Hamburg (also in German); it required
a tremendous scenery. Handel's "Rinaldo" composed in 1711, text by Aaron Hill, lets us recognise something
of the "unfailing character" behind the baroque intrigue, which was what Gluck demanded. The principal matter
here is the end, the "lieta fine". This well-knit "musical drama", composed in 1755, ends with Rinaldo's promise
is

1
)

2
)

In the original performance, Silvia

was sung by Haydn's

mistress, Luiga Polzelli.

Autograph, mostly complete, in the Royal College of Music, London; Autograph fragment in Harvard University Library,
Elssler copies, one in the Sandor Wolf Museum, Eisenstadt, and one in the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde,

Cambridge (Mass) and two

Vienna.

45

he has absolved his military service, to which Armida replies: "Go and come back soon, and be
assured that Armida will always be the same towards you." Concluding, the chorus sings: "May love never
everything which does not bring about love must be flattened to the ground." A similar version of this
die
pleasant decision can be found in Sacchini's "Armida" (in French). The work of the Viennese theatrical poet,
Coltellini, is very important for the end of the 18th century. Salieri and Righini wrote the music to it, and Haydn
also took over parts of the libretto. Coltellini brings us a sharper accentuation of the passions, which are not
as strongly brought out by the numerous scenic effects in the compositions of the two Italian masters. Haydn's
limited scenic possibilities and the desire for simplifying and concentrating, which he manifested already in
earlier works, led to quite different results. The text book, which was printed in 1784 in Oedenburg and has an
abundance of mistakes ("argomento"), gives the contents of the piece, in which it says: "The fable is well
known, and if one or the other point has been altered, this was done in order to enhance the other theatrical
effects." Alone from the fact that each scene has its contents stated separately, it can be seen how important
the action actually was. Although Haydn again used the secco recitative in this opera, he reduced it to the
absolute minimum. In exchange the accompagnato gains in importance. The overture is, as in "LTsola
to return after

<>

f#*-*E

I
BEI
i

zm

&

:-

mi

/Cs

=^S
f

JJJi

F^j ^3

3^e

disabitata", closely connected with the drama.

duty and love. His aria in

Haydn draws

C major

^ mr s

It

m
m

PP
fi-

m-

tf

presents the split personality of Rinaldo,

who

is

torn between

serves the same purpose. This struggle dominates the entire opera. In any

The witch, Armida, sings in her first aria "Se pietade avete" with
an expression which appears much greater compared with "La vera Costanza" and consciously brings out the

case,

46

the contrasts very sharply.

type of the Opera seria. In contradiction to Tozzi's work, produced in Venice in 1755, Haydn's Armida is foremost human and a woman in love, transforming herself into a demon when she sees that she is losing

same name numbers among his best, Armida is mainly the witch,
as the old text by Quinault (already adopted by Lully) demands. In this opera by Haydn the ensembles claim
little space. The first act ends with a duet sung by the lovers Armida and Rinaldo, and the second act ends
with a terzetto anouncing Rinaldo's final decision to abandon his beloved. There is no ensemble at the end of
the opera, as this is only used with a "lieta fine". The whole third act deals with Rinaldo and his struggle for
freedom. The terzetto in the second act is the peak of the opera, due to the sharp contrast in the principals.
Armida, Rinaldo and his typically military friend, Ubaldo, all have their own theme [Ex. 51]. The structure

whose opera

Rinaldo. In Gluck's case,

At m

da:

R naldo:

Par

ti

-/fa-

ma

dol

UhaU -

-I-

Sof

mm
nn i

f*

s?\

f
w

of the

friin

ij
r

pa

j
-

j.

j'

mio

con

can be called symphonie in spite of

le

all

ma

pen-sain -gra- to

dan

na

i/]JlJ

ce

tue

fa

il

ne,

fag
che

pen-sain-gra-to

tra

di

ta io son

da

te

j
-

to

j)

.Hi

tu ra

men -ta

il

i j
tuo do

ver

the drama. For the characterization of the parts, the orchestral recitatives

no way stop at describing but rather carry each sentiment through to its logical conclusion. The enchanted wood, la selva incantata, dominates the entire drama. It is the atmosphere and the
dangerous weapon of Armida. The psychologically simple nature of Ubaldo already knows in the first act
are important,

how

which

in

to get rid of temptations quickly. In Rinaldo's case

can only survive after having superseded

all

it

is different.

He

is still

a hero of rationalism,

obstacles in long and lasting struggles.

The enchanted

who

forest
47

does not develop

tfc
g=^

its

demoniac power

J3jfi

^
^

**
*

until the last act. Rinaldo is

f*rPCftT [ j is\
3=5=

still

unaware

of everything [Ex. 52].

M
^^&*
Wf p^m

ta
i=t

Jhjlj-jj^

|_Z

^^P

The

m-jn
s
|

t!>r

FT
1

dramatic decision is delayed by idyllic phases such as the appearance of nymphs. Armida herself appears
in order to enchant Rinaldo again. The conflict between morality and sensuality terminates in favour of the
former. Schiller says in his treatise "On Tragic Art": "The tortures of sensuality can only be eased by

with emphasis, the tragic artist must prolong the tortures of sensuality, which
must also exist to make the victory of morality more difficult and more praiseworthy."
The seven years which passed until Haydn composed his last opera "L'Anima del filosofo" brought him
nearer to the perfection of his work as an instrumentalist. These years also strengthened his ties with
W. A. Mozart. The storm and stress period died in the literature of the eighties. The ideal of a "higher reality"
replaced the tumultuous extravagance. The unconscious and irrational was put in its due place in this new
aim. In this sense Haydn's last opera approaches, at least in its music, the ideal of the classical drama.
morality. In order to

48

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THE ARGUMENT
The

have been drawn mainly from Virgil's 4th Gorgie, with

some elements found in Ovid's Metamorphosis (Book IX and X). It tells the story of the love of Orfeo, the
famed singer of antiquity, son of the River God, Oeagrius, and the Princess Euriidice, daughter of king Creonte.
(Creonte's kingdom is not identified in this opera, but in other versions of this legend he generally appears
as King of Thebes). Before the opening of the opera, Creonte had promised Euridice's hand to Arideo. The latter
General.

text of this opera appears to

does not appear in the opera at all, nor is his identification clear. In the Virgil 4th Gorgie he appears as
Eristeus, a shepherd who specialized in bee-raising. He was apparently an individual of rough character;
according to Ovid he obliged Hercules to perform the twelve labors. Euridice was not in agreement with her
father's

plans,

for

she

fled

from Arideo's

coarse

attentions.

It

is

at

this

point

that

the

first

act

of

the opera opens.

Act

Scenes 1/2. Euridice fleeing alone and disconsolate from the advances of Arideo, is discovered
bewailing her plight on a rocky beach bordering upon a dark forest. She is about to enter the forest but the
chorus (used by Haydn as a chorus in classical greek tragedy) warns her that the inhabitants of the forest
are more ferocious and dangerous than wild beasts. In the aria "Filomna Abbandonata" Euridice says that
she does not care. Even were she to be sacrificed in savage rites by the forest people, this fate would be no
worse than that from which she had just escaped. She again attempts to enter the forest, from which
the inhabitants emerge to seize her. The chorus calls for help, summoning Orfeo, who appears, and seizing his
lyre, sings an impassioned aria "Rendete a questo Seno", entreating the forest people to give him back his
beloved. His singing is so beautiful that even the hungry tigers are appeased. Euridice is rescued, to the
amazement and joy of the chorus. The two lovers slowly make their way to Creonte's palace, while the chorus
sings in praise of harmony.
Scene 3. Creonte's throne room. Creonte asks his followers if anyone knows what has happened to his
beloved daughter, who had fled from the palace. The chorus leader tells him of the events in the preceding
scene, adding that Orfeo has saved the life of Euridice, and that she loves him. Creonte agrees to their
union, although he would have liked to keep his promise to Arideo. In the aria "II pensier sta negli oggetti"
he philosophises on the inability of man to be master of his own fate. The two lovers then appear, and ask
a

I.

49

for a father's consent to their marriage.

The King gives them

his blessing,

and departs, leaving the two

to

sing the long love duet, which closes the act.

Act

Orfeo and Euridice are married and are found surrounded by a chorus of "Amorini Divini"
(Baroque angelic figures, somewhat resembling cupids) happily singing in a pleasant flowery field. They are
suddenly disturbed by a commotion off-stage. Orfeo leaves Euridice to investigate the origin of the disturbance,
but while he is gone, an emissary of Arideo, who is lurking in the vicinity, attempts to carry off Euridice to his
frustrated master. As she attempts to flee, Euridice steps upon a poisonous snake which bites her foot. The
poison quickly does its deadly work, and Euridice, with her dying breath, sings the beautiful aria in E flat "Del
mio Core". Orfeo, returning, finds the lifeless body of his wife, and in desperation sings the long recitative
and aria "Dove quel Alma Audace". He throws himself upon the body of Euridice.
Creonte then appears with his court, and when he is informed of events, he sings the great C major
aria with on-stage trumpet fanfares "Mai non fia inulto".
Act III. Scene 1. At Euridice's grave, Orfeo, Creonte, and the chorus mourn the death of Euridice. Virgins
strew flowers on the tomb. Orfeo bewails his fate, saying that now that Euridice's eyes are closed forever, his
world is dark. He goes away sadly and in silence. Creonte, expressing sympathy for him sings another philosophical aria in A major "Chi spira e non spera", in which he observes that he who despairs without hope is in
II.

a sorry state indeed.

Scene 2. Orfeo in desperation consults a Sybil in a rocky cleft. In answer to his entreaties a spirit (Genio)
appears, who, while advising Orfeo to take his fate philosophically, reveals to him, in the course of a very brilliant bravura aria in C, "Al tuo seno fortunato" that he may attempt to enter the underworld and bring back
Euridice to the upper world. The Genio accompanies him through the cleft, while the chorus "La Giustizia"
tells Orfeo that the Gods are kind to him.
Act IV. The scene represents both banks of the river Lethe, which divided the world of the living from
that of the dead (the Elysian fields). As the act begins, a lugubrious chorus in F minor tells of the souls of the
damned who must wait a hundred years before entering the Elysian fields. Orfeo, led by the Genio, appears at
the far bank of the river and is about to cross it in Charon's boat when the Furies appear and try to prevent
his landing. Orfeo's pleading softens their hearts, and Pluto himself appears and allows Orfeo to pass. A ballet
and chorus of souls appear, among which is Euridice. The Genio reminds Orfeo of the condition imposed upon
50

him; namely, he must not look at Euridice until they have reached the upper world. Orfeo, stretching his arms
behind him feels for Euridice's features. But Euridice, apparently not knowing the condition, places herself in

he cannot avoid seeing her. The Genio, sensing the impending disaster, leaves Orfeo to
his fate. Euridice is once more lost to Orfeo, who sings a long aria "Perduto un altra volta", bewailing his fate.
At this moment, a group of Bacchae (followers of Bacchus, who indulged in orgiastic rites, slaying all who
opposed them) appear, and make advances to Orfeo, inviting him to join in their celebrations. Orfeo repels
them with rough words, and announces to them that he forever renounces the pleasures of the female sex (in
the Metamorphosis, Books IX and X, Ovid clearly states that after the second death of Euridice, Orfeo abandoned himself to homosexual practices, and thereby incurred the warth of the Bacchae who tore him to pieces.
Haydn's librettist seems to have followed this rather closely). Angered by Orfeo's refusal, the Bacchae give
Orfeo a. cup filled with poison, which he drinks. Orfeo dies in agony, while the Bacchanti go into a furious
frenzy of delight. But a storm arises on the river Lethe, drowning the frenzied women, and Orfeo's body is
borne upon the waters, to find rest on the isle of Lesbos.

front of Orfeo so that

51

L'ANIMA DEL FILOSOFO (ORFEO ED EURIDICE)

ANALYTICAL NOTES
by

HELMUT WIRTH
Joseph Haydn, Prince Esterhzy's Court Kapellmeister, was 59 years of age and already celebrated in
Europe when he first stepped on English soil in the year 1791. He carried with him not only a favourable contract to compose symphonies, but a binding invitation to produce operas for the Italian Theatre in London.
As a composer of operas he had been silent for 7 years, in spite of the fact that his Opera seria, Armida, performed in 1784, had met with entire approbation 1 ) and had also been a success outside Austria. And now the
good opportunity presented itself to him in London of producing a new opera in which he would not be restricted
by the cramped conditions prevailing at his own Court Theatre.
Like his previous operas the new work was written in the Italian language. He was commissioned to
compose it by Giovanni Andrea Gallini (Sir John Gallini), once a solo dancer and for some years Director of the
Italian Opera in London. His poeta locum tenens, Carlo Francesco Badini, who had lived in London for some
25 years, wrote a libretto in 5 acts entitled L'anima del tilosoio. This somewhat mysterious-sounding title was
merely a nom de plume for Badini's version of the classic myth of Orpheus and Euridice, a new version adapted to the mood prevailing at that time.
Not very much is known about Carlo Francesco Badini. We do not even know his biographical data. The
British Museum Catalogue of 1881 enumerates a number of plays, part of which he had published under his
pseudonym, Vittorio Nemesini. The libretto of L'anima del tilosoio seems never to have gone into print. We are
therefore dependent entirely upon what is to be found in Haydn's not easily legible Autograph, the Budapest copy and the publication by Breitkopf & Hrtel. For some details about Badinij we are indebted to
Mozart's librettist, Lorenzo da Ponte, who came to London after 1790, tried to gain a footing there and suffered
in consequence from the effects of Badini's "evil eye". Da Ponte's Memorabilia and his correspondence with
Casanova, insofar as we can give them full credence, describe the Italian theatre's domestic bard as an enx
)

52

Haydn noted then

that "people call

it

my

best

composition up

to

now"

[Letter to Artaria].

and a miserable quill-driver who shunned no means to get

rid of those who were troublesome to him. Badini mastered the English language and possessed an all-round
"he was often in demand by journalists to write articles for their newseducation, so, to quote Da Ponte
the fate of an opera
depended to a very great
papers, and because his views were accepted in London
extent on the verdict expressed in his writings". 1 It can be taken for granted that Haydn knew nothing about
these qualities of Badini when he signed his agreement. He was only interested in Gallini's commission. He
proceeded eagerly to set the voluminous text to music, but moulded the last two acts into one, thereby doubtlessly enhancing the dramatic effect. He was soon able to tell his close friend, the singer Luigia Polzelli 2 ), that
the curtain would go up on the opera towards the end of May 1791. But no favourable star shone on Haydn's
last Opera! King George the Third suddenly withdrew from Gallini the Royal Patent for the performance of
operas, and Haydn himself relates how he had hardly begun with the first rehearsal and got through 40 bars
when officials sent by the magistracy prevented him from continuing. The performance of the opera was
abandoned; but the salary agreed upon had been paid out to Haydn. His copyist wrote out certain sections which,
in 1805, Haydn put into the hands of Breitkopf & Hartel. Fortunately, however, we are in possession of the
almost complete score in Haydn's own handwriting.
The librettist Carlo Francesco Badini was a child of his time. With keen perception for the growing tendency towards producing drama as "realistic" as possible, he wrote a libretto with the tragic ending which
the Greek myth has taught us to expect, and which Claudio Monteverdi had, already at the beginning of the
17th century, accepted for his version. But in the 18th century, the hey-day of the Opera seria, quite the contrary
tendency was in vogue, namely, that every drama should have its "happy end". This lieta fine was a sop to
the theatre-goers. Even the "re-discovered" tragedies of Shakespeare were, at this period, re-fashioned accordingly! Metastasio, the most celebrated librettist of the 18th century, had once attempted, in his Catone in
Utica, to end on a tragic note; but he later repented his audacious experiment and re-wrote the tragedy to suit
current tastes. The Orieo of Gluck composed to Calzabigi's text ends with the return to life of Euridice, a fact
that met with much opposition from his younger, more enlightened contemporaries. By the end of the century
quite another wind was blowing. A new, deeper consciousness was making its impression upon humanity. And
vious, cunning individual, a contractor of debts,

*)
'-)

Memorabilia, Vol.
Letter of

March

4,

2, pp. 117. Publ. Aretz-Verlag, Dresden.

1791. He informs Polzelli that he has "finished the

second Act already

."
.

53

may have been

he was intelligent enough to swim with the

tide. But custom dies hard, and he was never quite able to dispense with the fashions and trends of the older
Opera, and his text-book may therefore be said to exemplify the problematical experiment of pouring new
wine into old bottles.
In a theatrical sense the myth of Orpheus is not really a drama at all but rather a simple lyrical tragedy
calling for the most delicately careful of treatments. And whilst Badini, with his very limited artistic talent,
could never attain the highest standards, Joseph Haydn, thanks to the artistic integrity of his character, was
able to redress the balance in the most remarkable manner. His natural creativeness breathed life into the words,
even in those sections where Badini does lip service to the fashions of the older Opera seria. Yet his contract
signed with the London Theatre prevented him from attempting to have the work performed anywhere else.
At the same time his oratorio work made ever greater demands on his attention so that it can be easily understood if his interest in having this remarkable work performed gradually waned.
The cast is not large and, as far as soloists are concerned, the limits imposed at Esterhza are not trespassed. Orfeo is a tenor, Euridice a lyric soprano needing occasional splashes of coloratura. Creonte, her father,
requires a large vocal range from deep bass to high baritone. Then there is the boldly difficult part of "Genio"
for a pronounced coloratura soprano, and some smaller parts which are reserved for members of the chorus
after the pattern of Greek plays. The orchestra is fairly extensive and consists of 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 English
horns, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, drums, harp and string-quintet, in which the
viola part is often doubled and the cellos and double-basses frequently play separate parts. But what captures
our interest in particular is the uncommonly versatile treatment of the chorus, such as had never before been
known in earlier operas. At Esterhza no operatic chorus existed. One could flatly call Haydn's L'Anima del
filosofo an "opera for chorus", because he never loses an opportunity of making the chorus participate in the
dramatic moments of this opera, even in the guise of a spectator commenting on the action. The chorus can
thus be regarded as one of the main pillars on which L'Anima del filosofo is built. The 3rd and 4th acts are
especially dependent on the inclusion of the chorus, to which they owe their generally-accepted merit.
An atmosphere of tragedy prevails throughout the opera. We are not yet aware of this in the Prelude
which, in its main body, could ring the curtain on some Figaro-esque comedy. Only in its largo introduction
do we get an inkling of earnest things to come.

however

54

insignificant Badini

as a libretto-writer,

^^

The two main themes

from the
facile.

The

first

Presto

n
p

theme

tll!tW

Str.

m
It

is

is

F^

it.

ABB
IEEEE

n Jst

til! till till

second seeming to develop

is

altogether

lm

thi

is

appears in the key of A flat major, and again in

although in the latter case the theme is somewhat altered.
it

\J- J-

The symphonic elaboration throughout the movement

interesting to note that this theme, almost verbatim,

F minor, where

as follows:

LT

of the presto section are quite playful in character, the

rather than to answer

first

^^ff^ j^naP
PS
F

found in the middle of Orfeo's big aria in

Euridice's first aria, "Filomna abandonata",

Such an overture could be the prelude to many a random opera, and not necessarily one of a tragic
character. Undoubtedly Haydn had merely a festive introduction to his opera in mind and wished to withhold
all dramatic conflict till the rise of the curtain, when one act after another passes before us with ever-waxing
dramatic intensity.

The

tragic tension, the actual driving force behind this opera,

hangs over the scene from the very beginning. Already Act I starts on a dramatic note which bodes for us the impending tragedy. In a recitative* accompanied by the orchestra Euridice tells of her frantic anxiety when she is near to perishing in the forest while
escaping from Arideo, the coarse man to whom she has been promised by her father, Creonte. The atmo55

sphere of anxiety takes hold of those around her; it rises to an almost unbearable tension when the great first
choral scene begins. It is almost as if the audience itself cries out a warning to the desperate Euridice "Ferma
il Piede o Principessa"
Here lies the actual beginning of the tragedy. Even the choice of the C minor key
.

indicates the tragic potent of things to come. This chorus describes the desperate effort to prevent Euridice
from destroying herself. In tempo vivace the scene storms by. Tenors and basses sing partly in canto iermo,

partly in imitational counterpoint, a long

weaves

itself.

She knows then that

drawn out melodic sequence

fate is inexorable

Vivace

a) Str.

"

* &*

nn
S

3E

95g

p.
i

+~9

b)

:t

i\

Deh

P
per

m
pie

ta

gSEEEg g

And

it

is

la

scia -te mi

56

fer-

mai] piede oprin ci

jBZ

ffjFer

ma il piedeo princi

w^

per
-

pes

sa

* J-

ma il piedeoprinci

pes

sa.

pes

'

sa

P-

pie -ta

la -sciajcia-te
te

mm m
S
P=?Z

of Euridice later

d
m
y

mi

t #3

~B

not the desperate dark warning of the chorus which saves Euridice. In a sudden contrasting
is as if a ray of magic light had descended on the scene when Orfeo takes up his lyre and

mood, it
with a slow Arioso accompanied only by the harp and
of

ma,

Fer

HP

yet

ass

^^

m
-

[Coristi]

H5
Fer

change

^^

p-^-jp-

~*
"'"'Horns

and that

which the lament

there can be no escape.
into

strings pizzicati,

and by the "magic

of his song", con-

jures

away

in a

melodious aria in

all

the dangers 1 ). Euridice's father Creonte

E.

The melodic

is

line in this aria

also filled with restlesness and expresses his thoughts

shows Haydn a master

of Italian Bel

Canto and a

faithful preserver of a great theatrical tradition.

[P]

II

pen-sier sta ne-gliog-get-

da

ti

lor na-sceo-gni

In charming fashion flutes and violins

de-

weave

si

son

ti

ran

ni

around

no-stri af

fet

e van-tia

ti

mo

li-ber- ta

melody; yet its character is

inherently earnest, especially towards the close where the double-basses join the conversation with momentous
utterance. But the real climax of the first act is the duet between Orfeo and Euridice in which they give blissful thanks to the gods, and where Haydn shows us his genius for putting words into a musical mould, transcending all commonplace and revealing to us his radiant attitude towards life.
This great scene is developed from the initial melody sung by Orfeo:

57)

co

close in
x

we

this tuneful

Orfeo

g m
In Act

their notes

me

il

fo

coal-lo

i'i
splen-do

re

M ^J

ate

u-ni

ta

brief

ray of

C-tlji

are inwardly prepared for the events to come. In Act

on the scene with ever-growing menace.

l'al

II

ma.

mi

the clouds of

light shines

gloom and foreboding

on the beginning when a chorus

The figure [Ex. 62a] etc. which appears in this aria forms the basis of the short chorus ("O poter dell'annonia")
)
directly, another example of the subtile interthematic connection between numbers abounding
in this work.

which follows

57

female voices sings a delightful, light-stepping, dance-like song of Amorini

still belonging to an idyllic, happy sphere.
of

(58)

divini, the divine cupids,

music

Allegretto

Fin-ch

clr

co-la

il

vi

go-

re,

*M

fin-ch

sei nelT e

:ts:

bionda, be -vil

ta

Net

ta-re d'a

mo -re

nel-la

taz

zadel pia

cer

But the disaster hanging over Euridice's head can no longer be averted. She crosses the border between
the Living and the Dead and recedes into the Realm of Darkness. Her big aria in E flat, preceded by a recitativo
is full of character-laden melodic inspiration and is as valuably significant as the songs in Act I. Once again
the melodic vitality of the strongly emotional Neapolitan School is revived. It is a conscious return to a mode
of operatic composition already out-dated but in which a master of Haydn's calibre could still produce remarkable results. (This is perhaps a favourable moment to mention Mozart's "La Clemenza di Tito" where the
circumstances are very similar.) Another example is present in Haydn's aria written for Euridice in Act I,
"Filomna abbandonata," which he had published as the first item in the abridged edition of the Opera. The
vocal line of this aria, which Haydn provides with a choice orchestral accompaniment, reminds one of Johann
Christian Bach as well as Mozart:

M
Fi

jM
pStr.

y* 9-

58

lo

me

flfllJ

Da ab-ban

do

^m

na

jiiflzJ
-

ta

spar - ge

all'

?
au

re

suoi

la

men

ti

f^'^' f^iiti^
i

fe

[J^X^

Uu-

This dreamy lyricism

brought into vivid contrast with quite a different temper of musical construction
when Creonte storms through his aria "ma non fa inulto". Here Haydn becomes the born symphonic writer
and seizes on the opportunity presented by the text to make his orchestral score as turbulently fluid as
possible, thus underlining in a descriptive manner Creonte's defiant attitude.
is

But the drama reaches even greater heights in the last two acts. Though of less value when regarded
separately, each act in turn gives the impression of working up towards the cataclysmic Finale. In the course
of Act III, the chorus appears four times to commiserate and console Orfeo. A two-part female chorus, aug-

mented later on by the male voices to a four-part chorus introduces Act III. It pronounces on Orfeo's bereavement but is no matter-of-fact declaration; it is rather an expression of heartfelt sympathy for the Thracian
bard.

59

Act III is, however, of special consequence because of the appearance on the scene of "Genio". This
Genius is, so to speak, the helper in need, a kind of "spare man" needed to give the drama fresh impetus. In
the older operas he came to be known as the "deus ex machina". In Gluck's "Orfeo" he appears as Eros
[Amor]. In the more tragic versions the question arises of what is to happen next. Euridice is dead. Orpheus
bereaved and disconsolate. In a way the actual drama is over. But now the Genius approaches to bring the
singer consolation and comfort in the guise of philosophy. Only now does the opera's title have meaning.
The Genius sings a tremendous coloratura aria containing about every known technical difficulty and which,
hardly affords the listener much opportunity of understanding the text. This aria is created in the
true spirit of the Neapolitan Opera traditions, a scintillating pice de rsistence for all coloratura singers but
dramatically of lesser value. But the Master's knowledge of the Italian singing technique of this period is
of course,

here fully demonstrated as well as his powers of expressing himself in the language of this brillant epoch.
Here a rationalistic idea is, so to say, transfigured by song. Ex. 62 shows a typical coloratura passage from this
aria:

di

rJ3

# ^
r

atr

stan

k*4

"
S *

EE

co

r%Efr iNr s&r to

r-E'rrr

fEr^T^

m n

jB

|J

jtf

'

p dte

Ff

^^s
za

60

^iJ^^ p

di

va

lor

How

attempts to bring Euridice back to

prove unavailing, due to the inflexibility of the gods of

fortune, and how Orfeo yields himself to resignation and renunciation of life is shown in truly tragic
grandeur in Act IV. Already the opening chorus "Infelice ombre" gives expression to this atmosphere of
inevitability. The music is in four parts, each voice, from the alto downwards, joining in at intervals of half
a bar in stretto fashion, the voices throughout lying close together.
all

P$^
p 11
In

fe

li

fefe

3m
i

om-bre do

ci

jj.JiJ'J
In

fe

li

33

ci

H
len

*\

JWi|fJ"j

lu

to

J>

[J

stri

var-car

==*
dob

mo

bia

J^jJ^g

J>

JWt

J>

h, J.

etc.

E5

Jl

t
In-fe

3Sm

i^
cen

ti

life

Cl

J^
In

fe

Mr

ete.

r
-

li

ci

i[>j p

Pn
l

^ ^

^
-I 1

^1

/?\

-l

etc.

even excelled by the demoniacal frenzy of the "Chorus of the

Furies", sung only by the male voices. Penetrating harmonic contrasts help to emphasize the crushing power
of these fiendish monsters, who approach Orfeo, and with diabolical, ruthless harshness convince him of his
impotence. After the C minor chorus in the first act, this is one of the great climaxes of this drama, in fact a
climax of Haydn's entire creative work.
This demonstration of the divine will

is

61

(64)

Vivace assai

L
+*
^6
Ur

Or-

11

or

lior-ren-di,

>f(N

ren-di,

dl-spe

&

ra

ti

ff

qui

ti

mo

sen -te o-gni

si

Je

f^p

^tjw uajm

$=m

-&

di-spe

ra

ijjhf

j
3E
Sfcr.,

Trombones,

p^pj
*

gni

si

p
sen-te o-gni

ii=

men

t*

nie.

f
mo

i
'

men

to

J.

nm

r
-

to

rim

frgqjt

bom-bi di

spa

ven

up
-

bom

p
-

bi

^
di

spa

to

J.

After this compounding of dramatic energies, the death of Orfeo takes place in an atmosphere of quiet,
tranquil humanity.

To

order not to subject himself to the use of force.

62

which is offered him by the Bacchanalian priestesses in

He feels no need for consolation by philosophy because, for

die he chooses the poisoned cup

him,

life

contains none. In his dying monologue

moments and Haydn has no need

disturb his last

spoken only to the

accompaniment

soft

SU

man

J-

\i

car la

$^

fi

rf

is

now

the voices of the

=^F=P

dead. But the opera

Gods speak

**

IP

again.

nothing theatrical to

words are

-~I

j-li'J
Il

*=
P

V-

w^mp-*p

scxi-ra

Orfeo

..

Sm
p*

is

to express his thoughts. Orfeo's last

J.

p-

from him. There

*^?

i
fff

drum

fall

of the strings.

m
f *T

ta

Strings

ai

of the big

m pimpi
W
M
Sen- to

earthly scales

all

is

^^

ni

r con la mor-te

m
?

h,

MitJJM
-

S
m

ciel s'o

y jj*
fe p w p
f
o

gniscia-gu-ra

?*
si

a^

not yet at an end. While the Bacchae prepare to tear Orfeo in pieces
terrible

storm arises and the Bacchae, shrieking with

fright,

are

drowned and the stage is left bare. The severity of expression chosen by Haydn to illustrate this and the return
to the D minor key reminds one of the "Furies" music. Gradually the tide ebbs and the listener is left with a
feeling of inward convulsion and emotion, but also with the conviction of having been a witness of a great
63

may remind one

Opera seria. In spite of the fact

that Haydn was never given to philosophical reflections he may, whilst composing L'anima del hlosoio, have
had in mind what Schiller later wrote: "Blind submission to fate is always humiliating and insulting to freedomantique drama, even

if

a certain stylizatkm

of the traditional

loving, self-determined men".

Haydn's
testimonial to

Opera can thus be said to rank, together with

a great epoch of classical art.

last

his

Hamburg, December 1950

[TRANSLATED BY ALFRED KITCHIN]

64

two

last oratorios, as a living

musical

^fat_^ j L.-^B^ff ^;
J

^^B

From Haydn's Autograph of Orieo (p. 254); original in Preussische Staatsbibiliothek, Berlin, now Westdeutsche Bibliothek. Marburg.
From the last part of the Finale of Act IV. The order of instruments by staves: horns and trumpets I timpani I oboes , II flutes I, II
bassoons I, II / violin I / violin II / viola I chorus soprani / chorus alti / trombones I, II / violoncelli-contrabassi. Haydn notes at the
top of the left hand corner for the copyist: tympan (i) and underneath 2 oboi.
I

>j>

rro

ii

Arr

r*

'

XJ,

l/fV

.
,

,,

-,.. .,

,tf, , !!

-irsauiw

,. ,,,,..

~ .pu*...

r^! *

i-*

j^JF^
\*$

r^-jf

^ ^^-q*^^ jrr^Lji

-.

:rrEy~^r f"~H

tf^J-'l^^^S^^^L^I^^'^^-'

/Z^^i^fe^F^ii^^^

E^5

;o^.ri:_^lr

f*f ~T

\*L3 m
t

r
r

* 3
t' f

t*

"r

if-..'

93
A

page

oi

the Budapest

MS

of

Orieo in the handwriting of a copyist. In Haydn's handwriting are the words: Atto
of the second Act. Original in possession of the National Library, Budapest.

The page shows the beginning

'-

*'"BP: '"*

do (Act

II).

ATTO

ACT

(SCENA

I)

(SCENE
(A rocky shore

(Spiaggia rocciosa all'orlo di una selva tenebrosa)

4/4; 2 ob,

flat;

2 bass,

horns

(E flat), strings.

Euridice: Wither shall I flee from my sorrow, sad and

that I am? I am enchained to suffering.
Vainly I strive to be freed!
thousand gloomy

Euridice: Sventurata che fo(,) dove mi aggiro(?)

Invan cerco involarmi aile mie pne. Mille foschi pene ciassieri m'annuvolan la mente ad ogni istante(
cheduno d'essi forma un atro vapor a me d'intorno
che mi nasconde il giorno, e la ragion m'oscura. E per
mia maggior sciagura( ) il mio povero cor languisce
oppresso fra le smanie d'amor nell'agonia di morte(,)
e mai non more(.)
r

"wretched

thoughts becloud my mind. They hang about me like

vapour, hiding the day, darkening my mind. Most
dread of all, my heart languishes, borne down by the
pain of love into the agony of death, and yet T
cannot die!

(She

(Vuol inoltrarsi nella selva)

(4/4 alia breve)

ob, 2 bass.

Coro: Ferma il piede, o Principessa! Nell'orror

queste selve(,) phi feroci delle belve(,) troverai

horns (E

flat),

about

to

venture into the forest)

gli

Euridice:

[
[

strings, 2-pt. chorus (ten. -bass).

Go no

step further, Princess! In the horror of

this forest, wilder than the wildest beast, those who
dwell there wait for thee!
Euridice: Have pity! Leave me!
Chorus: Go no step further, Princess!
Euridice: Have pity! Leave me!
Chorus: In the horror of this forest, (etc).

Chorus:

di

abitator;

Deh per piet! Lasciatemi!

Coro: Ferma il piede, o Principessa!
Euridice: Per piet! Lasciatemi!
Coro: Nell'orror di quelle selve
Pi feroci delle belve
Troverai gli abitator(.)

is

(CHORUS WITH EURIDICE)

(CORO ED EURIDICE)
C minor

edge of a dark forest)

(Euridice enters. She appears to be lost and frightened)

(Euridice entra in scena, smarrita e turbata)

Vivace;

I)

(ACCOMPANIED RECITATIVE)

(RECITATIVO ACCOMP.)
Adagio; E

at the

65

Euridice: Deh per piet! Lasciatemi! Non voglio

che me stessa compagna al mio cordoglio(.)
Coro: Torna alia reggia( ) involati al periglio che ti
sovrasta(;) pensa ch'infestar queste spiagge(,) mostrivi
sembran le umane alme selvagge(.) Vedi costor che
scendono dal monte. Fuggi(,) che rebelli noi siamo
(

alia difesa.

Euridice: Per piet! Lasciatemi!

Coro: Fuggi! Fuggi! Fuggi!

(RECITATIVO) ACCOMP.

Euridice: Oh, have pity! Leave me! I wish no companion in my grief!

Chorus: Go back to the palace! Flee from the danger
that hangs over thee. On these shores prowl monsters,
savage beasts in human shape! Behold them, who
descend from the mountain. Flee, flee! We stand in
thy defense.
Euridice: Have pity! Leave me!
Chorus: Flee, flee, flee!

ACCOMPANIED (RECITATIVE)
Who calls me? Who desires me?

strings.

Euridice: Che chiedete a me? Che mai bramate? Di

quell'infausta pira ben riconosco il barbaro disegno(.)
Gi nell'Are d'amore(,) in solenne olocausto(,) arse il
mio core(.)
nuovo sacrifizio di andar io non pavento(.) Morasi pur nella proterva 1 ) sorte (.) Pena non
(,) non ha terror la morte di semiviva amante, facile
morir col cor sperante(.)

Euridice:
I know the evil will behind this smoking pire;
heart consumes in such a holocaust.
I fear no further sacrifice. Can prayer help me?
I fear no death! Tell me, you who live:
Is it easy to die with a hopeful heart?

My

ARIA

ARIA:
Adagio

(4/4)

Allegro

(4/4)i

fl,

nuovo Euridice vuol

la
J
)

66

nella

selva.

I,

too,

my
I,

Orribili

circondano per rapirla)

in original ,,prolava"

horns

(F),

strings.

Euridice: Philomena, sad, deserted

sends her call into the night,
that long lament, that piercing pain
will reach no pitying ear!

Euridice: Filomna abbandonata

Sparge all'aure i suoi lamenti(,)
E le note sue dolenti
Mai non trovano piet(!)
Cosi mesta e abbandonata
Spiego al ciel l'affanno mio
E per me sol cresce, o Dio(,)
Del destin la crudelt(.)
(Di

2 ob, 2 bass, 2

forme setvagge

abandoned,

tell

the heavens

anguish.

too,

go forward to a tragic

fate!

tries to enter the forest; awful and savage forms

appear. They surround her and attempt to carry her off)

(Again she

(SCENA

(SCENE

II)

(UNACCOMPANIED RECITATIVE)

(RECITAT1VO SECCO)

Un
Un

corista: Cieli! Soccorso! Aita!

altro: Vieni(,)

misero Orfeo, invola

il

tuo tesoro di

corista: Help, ye heavens! Aid!

corista: Come, unhappy Orfeo! Free thy
treasure from the cruel claws of death!
Another corista: What can we do for her? Counsel,

Another

disperata morte al fiero artiglio.

Un

altro:

IT)

Per Lei! Che far possiam? Numi, consiglio(I)

ye Gods!
(Orfeo accorre, cercando Euridice)

Orfeo: Euridice, ove

Euridice:

sei(?)

Che

(Orieo appears, running.

miro, oh Dio!

Orfeo: Fermatevi, crudeli!

Euridice: Ah, difendi il tuo bene!
Orfeo: Cara Euridice(!) Oh pene(!) Recate 1 ) a

me

la

cetra(;) uditemi(,) infelici(,) dlia ragion, dlia virt nemici(,) non men che di voi stessi. Qual insano furor, qual

disegno pu mai disumanarvi a questo segno (;)

in quel caro sembiante, in quelle vaghi luci tutti sono
dei Numi i pregi accolti. E voi volet (,) o stolti(,) la
ferocia accoppiando a reo fallace zelo(,) al ciel sacri-

rio

tento

cielo(.)

ponga ragion

il

si

vano

malnato(,) a cosi

in-

freno.

Orfeo: Euridice, where art thou?

Oh God, what do I see?
Euridice:
dear love, my sweet idol!
Orfeo: Hold, cruel spirits!
Euridice: Oh, protect your love!
Orfeo: What pain, dear Euridice! Give

Hear me! Unhappy ones enemies

(4/4,

alia

ACCOMPANIED
breve), B

Orfeo: Rendete a questo seno il core del mio cor(.)

L'Anima mia dell'insensate belve l'amoroso desio
domar suole il furor. Le tigri istesse di sangue umano
ingorde ai sospiri d'amor non son mai sorde(.)

me my

of reason

and

lyre!
virtue,

your own worst enemies. Tell me, what wickedness,

what dread design has made you less than human? In
this fair face, in these dear eyes is all the quality of
heaven and its excellence. Ferocity and the zeal for
wickedness and your blind rage would offer heaven
to heaven itself, as sacrifice! May heaven put an end
to such intent.

RECITATIVO (ACCOMPAGNATO)
Adagio

looks for Euridice)

My

Adora to mio ben, Idolo mio!

ficar l'istesso

He

flat

(RECITATIVE)

major; solo harp, strings.

Orfeo: Give back to my arms the heart of my heart,

soul of my soul! Even the ravening beast is tamed by
the yearning of love! Even the tiger, sated with blood,
is not deaf to the whisperings of love.
67

ARIA:

ARIA:
Largo assai

(4/4, alia

breve), Allegro,

flat

major;

fl,

2 ob, 2 bass, 2

flat

basso), strings.

cherished hope! O hearts of stone!

Who can know the fullness of my sorrow?
A thousand deaths I suffer by your will,

Orfeo: Cara speme, alme di scoglio{,)

Chi spiegar pu il mio cordoglio(?)
Ah( ) voi fate in un sol punto
Mille morti a me provar(.)

Orfeo:

And

my

Euridice! Per piet! Cara speme!

Euridice, per piet di mio tormento
Geme l'onda e freme il vento(.)
Nelle selve impietosite,

Have mercy!

in

In pity for

ears their sound

Euridice!

my

is

like

one

cry.

grief

The waves do moan

And

Sento l'eco risuonar(.)

(Le

horns (B

the winds rage through the sorrowing wood.

hear its echo.
(The savage forms disappear)

forme selvagge spariscono)

(RECIT AT IVO SECCO)

(UNACCOMPANIED RECITATIVE)

corista: O prodigio, o stupor(,) portento raro(!)

Rozzi pezzi di ferro e cor d'acciaro dell'armonia celeste
ha il sacro foco intenerito( ) ed Euridice salva(!)

O great and wondrous portent! From heavenly

armouries strong iron and heart of steel were softened
by the sacred fire. Euridice is saved!

Un

Corista:

(Exits)

(Parte)

Nume

Euridice:

posso dir che

de' miei pensieri(,) amato Orfeo, ben

la mia vita sei(,) se la vita ti deggio e i

giorni miei(.)

Orfeo: Se col mio canto

amorosi
tuoi(,)

rai(,)

co'tuoi 2 )

bella Euridice (,)

giorni tuoi salvai(,) con gli

dolci sorrisi (,) co'cari amplessi
tu rendi appieno l'animo mio
i

felice(.)

may

God

Coro:

poter deH'armonia(,)

La favella

Ed

il

deli

Dell'afflitta
*)

68

In

Dei

nettare tu sei

MSS

umanit.

Suoi"

of

thee my days lighten.

Orfeo: If with my song I keep thy life in light, rays
from thine eyes, thy smiles, all they delights, from
my life to thine, do banish night! Euridice, thy love
brings to my heart fullness of joy.

(CHORUS OF MEN)

(CORO DEGLI UOMINI)

(No tempo designation in MSS)

my

dreams, beloved Orfeo! Well

say that thou art life to me! If life goes on for

Euridice:

4/4,

major,

2-pt.

Chorus (ten-bass,

ob,

2 bass,

2 horns (C basso),

strings.

Chorus: O power of harmony! Speech

of the Gods! Freed art thou both
from the pain of men.

SCENE

SCENA-III

III

(Sala nel Palazzo di Creonte)

(Hall in the Palace ol Creonte)

(RECITATIVO SECCO)

(UNACCOMPANIED RECITATIVE)
(Seated on his throne)

Creonte: Ah chi sa dirmi dove il piede errante volga

di questo cor Tunica speme(,) la mia figlia adorata(.)

Creonte: Ah,
child

who can

Creonte: Ditemi( ) dove? Oh Dei! Narratemi che fa(.)

Corista: Dagli imenei dell'odiato Arideo Euridice fuggendo( ) in tenebrosa selva ed incognita piaggia ove
dimora sol gente selvaggia(,) sventurata innoltrossi(.)
Stavan costor intenti d'innocente donzella a far con
crudo, e disperato esempio sull'altar dlie furie orrido
scempio (.) Euridice (,) mirando di sua beltade i singulari
P re ggi(<) invece d'ammollir quei cori alpestri, pi la
ferocia lor rese sfrenata(.) Ne vittima pi grata ne pi
degna di lei credettero agli Dei poter offrir(;) e il sanguinoso rito stavan per cominciar quando opportuno
giunse il fleve cantor(,) 1'amico Orfeo (.) Co'suoi canori
accenti in queH'alme impietosite, o maraviglia(,) dest
pietade, e ti salvo la figlia(.)
Creonte: Numi(!) Che ascolto (?)
F

Corista:
caso tu desti a lei la vita(;) ma la virt
d'Orfeo(,) la sua possente lira cagion ch'Euridice
ancor respira (.)
(Un altro) Corista: Essa in consorte il brama (.) Ai voti
suoi oppor pi non ti puoi(.)

first

feet of

my

corista enters excitedly)

Be comforted,

Corista:
is

where the erring

have wandered?
(The

Corista: Confortati(,) Signor, l'abbiam trovata(.)

tell

my

Prince!

By us Thy

child

found.

where! Let me know all.

Corista: Fleeing from the embraces of the loathed
Arideus, Euridice lost her way. Passing through the
dark forest, she came to the rocky shores where wild
creatures gathered, seeking an innocent Maiden for
their horrid altar. Beholding her, neither her beauty
nor her loveliness could soften their barbarous hearts.
Indeed were they more engaged. No victim more
worthy or more welcome could be offered to the Gods.
The bloody rite awaited: the altar smoked! Orfeo,
friend, the heavenly singer, drew near. With his
wondrous songs he awoke pity in those merciless
Creonte:

hearts.

Ye Gods,

Thy

child

was saved!

Creonte: Gods, what do

Corista:

sounding

me

tell

Your love gave

lyre,

hear!
life

to her.

Orfeo, with his

saved her from death.

Another Corista: But she longs

for her

dear spouse.

69

Creonte: La mia real promessa ad Arideo serbare io

pur vorrei(,) ma '1 destino rsiste ai voler miei(.) Sventurati mortali! Orgoglioso il desir impenna l'ali e incontrar poi gli awenne(,) pria che giunga al suo fin( )

Creonte: To Arideo I have given my royal word. I

would keep faith, but fate forbids me. Unhappy
mortals. Our proud desires take wing but, before they
soar aloft, the end shall bear us down in a thousand

mille catene(.)

chains.

ARIA:

ARIA:
Andante, E major

(3/4),

11,

strings.

Creonte: All thoughts grow from the senses.

Desire is born from them.
Tyrants are our affections!
We boast of liberty.
Like a chained falcon
Who would take flight,
Only to find that his foot is bound,
We mortals know not our own chains.

Creonte: Il pensier st negli oggetti(,)

Da lor nasce ogni desio(.)

Son tiranni i nostri affetti

E vantiamo libert.
Cosi augel talor si crede
Di spiegar all'aure il volo
E '1 meschino, awinto al piede(,)
Serba un laccio, e non lo sa.
(Orfeo ed Euridice s'avvicinano al trono di Creonte)

(Orfeo and Euridice enter. They approach the throne)

(RECITATIVO SECCO)

(UNACCOMPANIED RECITATIVE)

Orfeo: Grazie agli Dei, sereno

il

cielo

alfin

per noi

risplende.
Euridice: Alfin risorge Talma opressa.
Orfeo: II genitor s'appressa.

Orfeo: Thanks to the Gods! The sky

Our souls rise up

Orfeo: Thy father comes.
Euridice:

amor

Euridice: Behold our love (. .)

Creonte: (interrupting) The powers of heaven set you
free to love. I smile upon your longings and your vows.
.

(Departs with his followers)

.)

suo seguito)
Orfeo: propizio il ciel secondi(.) Avventuroso
ti sia(.) La tua flicita sar la mia.
(Parte con

70

in joy!

Euridice: Father!
Orfeo: My lord!
Creonte: Rise!

Creonte: Non pi congiunge il cielo i cori(,) e disunirli

a noi non lice(.) Le tue amorose brame(,), i voti
tuoi(.

bright above us!

(They kneel)

(Essi s'inginocchiano)

Euridice: Padre.
Orfeo: Signor.
Creonte: Sorgete.
Euridice: II nostro

is

Orfeo:

il

il

talamo

Euridice) The heavens shine

bridal bed awaits thee. Your joy

(to

thee.

The

mine

is

thine.

down upon
is

mine and

Euridice: Le nostre destre unite saran finch le stelle

a noi concederanno(,) Idolo mio.
saran l'alme unite oltre l'obblio, pria ch'io
Orfeo:
cessi d'amarti arder il gel(,) saran le fiamme algenti.
spiranti(,) l'aure vitali

Ma

Our

hearts shall be one while the stars give

love and my idol bright.
Orfeo: Never shall these hearts know change. Frost
shall burn and fire grow pale before I cease to love
Euridice:
light,

my

thee.

Al dolce suon

di tuoi soave accenti si dilata

Rapita io sono in estasi d'amore.
Orfeo: Spiegare non ti pon gli accenti miei quanto
diletta e cara a me tu sei(.) Dirti solo poss'io che senza
te saria sventurata anche in cielo l'anima mia.

Euridice:
il

mio

core(.)

My

Euridice:
heart leaps up at sound of thy voice. I
am rapt in the joy of love's ecstasy.
Orfeo: Even the music of my lyre cannot tell how dear
thou art! Only know that even in heaven my soul
would mourn without thee.

DUETTO

DUET

Adagio; Allegro;

Orfeo: Come il foco alio splendore

te unita l'aima mia.
Il mio cor dal tuo bel core
Mai diviso non sar.
Euridice: Per me tu senti amore(,)
Ne awampa l'aima mia(,)
Il mio cor dal tuo bel core
Mai diviso non sar.
Orfeo: Caro bene sospirato.
Euridice: Carosposo, idolo amato.
Orfeo: Caro nume sospirato.
Orfeo: Sento il nettare die Giove
Euridice: Che piovendo in cor mi sta.
Orfeo: Cari detti.
Euridice: Dolci affetti.
Orfeo: Io t'adoro.

Euridice:

tesoro.
la sorte, n la

Orfeo:

Euridice: L'amor

major

(4/4 alia breve); 2

fl,

2 ob, 2 bass, 2

horns (G), strings.

My heart and thine, united,

Burn with the splendour of fire.
Never, through all eternity
Shall they be torn asunder.
Euridice: My heart burn within me
Whilst thou lovest me.

Orfeo:

Never

my

soul leave thine.

Orfeo:
beloved, so longed for!
Euridice:
spouse so dear!
O idol of my heart!
Orfeo:
Godness I worship!
Orfeo: I feel Jov'es nectar
Euridice: Nourishing my heart.
Orfeo: Dear words!
Euridice: Sweet sounds!
Orfeo: I adore thee!
Euridice:
treasure!
Orfeo: No destiny, no death
Euridice: Can change my love.
shall

My

Mio

Ne

morte

mio cangiar

potra.

Fine dell'Atto

End

of

Act

71

ATTO

(SCENA
(Prato

ameno

ACT

II

(SCENE

I)

vicino ad un

CORO D'AMORINI

hume)

3/4,-

I)

pleasant held on the banks of a river)

CHORUS OF AMORINI D1VINI

DIVINI

Allegretto,

2 ob, 2 bass, 2

horns (A) strings, chorus (Sop-alt).

Coro: Finch circola il vigore,

Finch sei nell'et bionda,
Bevi il nettare d'amore
Nella tazza di piacer.
Arrivato il gel degli anni(,)

Tazza d'ostico licore porgeranno

II

Chorus: While vigour holds, while youth

Drink love's nectar from pleasure's cup!
When weariness assails you,
When the chill of age o'ertakes you,
The Furies set a bitter draught
To your pale lips!

is

yours,

te gli affanni(,)

Ti daran le furie a ber(.)

(RECITATIVO SECCO)

(UNACCOMPANIED RECITATIVE)

Orfeo: Adorata consorte(,) or io conosco che s'inganna

chi dice che beato nel mondo esser non lice: ver, che
tutto spasimo ed affanno(,) che un tenebroso inganno
confonde e insieme oscura le menti dei mortali e la
natura(.) Ed pur ver, che il sole il solo oggetto
degno del nostro affetto(.) Or esso in te, mia vita(,) raddoppiasi(,) ch sono due soli i tuoi bei lumi(,) Finch
sei meco io non invidio i Numi(.)
Euridice: Dolce speranza mia, gli accenti tuoi sono
stille d'ambrosia nel cor mio. II tuo labbro amoroso
imparadisa il dolce mio desiro(,) mi rende al sen la
sospirata calma(,) l'alma in cielo mi pone(,) il ciel

deceives who tells us that

no hope of happiness is ours on earth; that all is
pain, that shadows hang about us and becloud and
hide the sun. The sun we worship, naught for us
more worthy! While thou art mine, two suns have I!
Thine eyes, sun's rivals! While they shine upon me I
envy not the gods!

nell'alma.
72

Orfeo: Beloved Consort!

Euridice:
heart!
and in

Thy words pour down ambrosia on my

Give

my

He

my

sweet desire the airs of Paradise,

breast the longed-for peace of heaven!
to

CORO D'AMORINl

CHORUS OF AMORINI DIVINI

D1V1NI

Chorus: While vigour holds, while youth

Drink love's nectar from pleasure's cup!

Coro: Finch circola il vigore,

Fnch sei nell'et bionda,
Bevi il nettare d'amore
Nella tazza del piacer.
Euridice:

Amar pu

quando rgna

in

quando
amor mai non

l'et canut(,)

Orfeo: l'aime amanti sono. Fido

mezzo

si

muta

Euridice: Dell'acceso mio desio

Orfeo: Dell'affetto ch'ho nel petto

j
\

L'onda stessa dell'obblio

Non puo spegnere l'ardor(.)
Orfeo: Mie luci belle
Euridice: Dolce sostegno
'

stelle(

When

weariness assails you,

When the chill of age o'ertakes you,
The Furies set a bitter draught to your pale
Euridice: No waves of Lethe can engulf
Orfeo: The love that fills my heart!
Its passion and its fire!

Euridice:

Orfeo:
Chorus:

che fido amor.

friendly stars,

ADAGIO; VIVACE
Euridice: Mi trma il cor(.)
1
) (Orfeo:) Che sar mai questo strepito ostile al nostro
amor(,) molesto(?)
Euridice: Mi trma il cor(.)

Orfeo: Non smarrirti, o cara(.) DeH'importun fragore(,)

la cagione qual fia(,) conoscere desio (.) Caro mio bene,
x
)

MS

to

ode un iiagoie nelle quinte. Gli amorini divini spaiiscono)

addio(!)

faithful love!

flat.

(A loud noise

is

heard offstage. The amorini divini scatter)

Euridice:
gods, what do I hear?
*) (Orfeo): What is the hostile sound that
voice of love?
Euridice:
heart trembles!
Orfeo: Let me not loose thee, dear one.

drowns the

My

must but know why these harsh

voices cry. Sweet my love, farewell.
I

The Autograph erroneously notes Euridice", but since thepassage

we have given these words to him ratherthan to

notes Orfeo",

what

ADAGIO; VIVACE
Horns from

(Si

lips.

Orfeo: Dear eyes, friendly stars.

Euridice: Sweet supporter.

Euridice:

Amiche

Euridice: When loving souls are faithful,

Orfeo: In youth or age, love knows no change.

Chorus:

Orfeo:
Coro:

yours,

al cor.

Coro: Arrivato il gel degli anni( ) tazza d'ortico licore

porgeranno a te gli affanni(,) ti daran le furie a ber(.)

'

is

is

written in the soprano

clef

and since the Budapest

her.

73

Euridice:

E abbandonarmi

vuoi(?)

Orfeo: Del nemico la trama ad esplorar io volo(.) Per

un

istante sol(,) cara(,) m'involo(!)

Euridice: Wilt thou desert me?

Orfeo: I must know the plot
of the dreaded enemy. An
instant I leave thee. I fly.
(Leaves)

(Parte)

rumor (.) Che sar mai(?) Lo sposo

io temo che non sia lento al ritorno(.) Nessun meco
rest(.) Sola ed imbelle son costretta a gozzar 1 ) col mio
periglio senza soccorso(,) oh Dio, senza consiglio(!)
Euridice: Cresce

il

Euridice:

am numb

with

fear!

Alone, with no protector near.

With no succour in my peril!
O God, without help!

(UNACCOMPANIED RECITATIVE)

(RECITATIVO SECCO)
(Un corista [Seguace d'Arideo] s'avvicina ad Euridice)

(A

Un

ha chi

No

corista: Ecco(,) Signor(,) la principessa sola(.) Non

la diffende(.) E'sicura la preda(!)
Euridice: Che sento(,) oh Dio(,) chi siete(?)
Corista: Sai che il tuo genitor ad Arideo la tua destra
promiseO) onde di lei consorte esser tu dei(.) Invan
fuggir cerchi(.)

corista [follower of Arideo] approaches Euridice)

Corista: Here. Lord, The Princess is alone.

defence near. The prey is sure!
Euridice: What do I hear, ye gods!
art thou?
Corista: Thy troth is pledged to Arideo.

Who

Creonte has given promise

thou must be his bride.

To

Numi possenti(,)
Deh vieni(!)

Euridice:

Coro:

aita(.)

Euridice: Ahim(!)

Coro:

Che avvenne(?)

Euridice: Quell'angue(,) che cola strisciar mirate(,) mi

punse in quest'istante(i)
Coro:
sventura(!)
Euridice: Nel sangue io temo che non m'abbia infuso
suo froce aspro veleno(.) Gi sentomi nel core cento
palpiti e cento armiti di terrore ch'assediano mio core(.)

(//
1
)

74

corista parte spaventato)

correct: cozzar".

flee is vain!
Euridice:
mighty Gods, protect me!
Corista: Come!
Euridice: Oh, woe is me!
Corista: What see we here?
Euridice: The serpent that there creeps,
His fangs did pierce me!
Corista: Oh, wretched fate!
Euridice: The subtle poison spreads troughout my
thousand beats weary my heart.
veins! I fear!
thousand fears assail my soul.

(The corista, frightened, runs away)

(ACCOMPANIED) RECITATIVE AND ARIA

RECITATIVO (ACCOMP.) ED ARIA

Adagioi

2 ob, 2 bass,

horns (E

flat),

strings.

(RECITATIVE)

(RECITATIVO)

Euridice: Where is my love?

Oh cease, dread pain!
Like the waters of Lethe, the
floods have quenched my life's
spark. I go slowly to death!
Oh, wretched lover that I am,
never again shall I see my love.

Euridice: Dov l'amato bene?

Sostenemi(,) oh pene!

Come

flutti di Lete(,)

Gi l'onda mia vital lenta

muore. Ah, mai pi(,) sventurata(,)

Si

Non

potr rimirar

Mabbandona

il

il

mio tesoro?

respiro, io manco(,) io moro(!)

My

breath

fails

me!

Largo, 2 ob. change to 2 English horns (E

mio core

il

(alia breve).

Euridice:

my

of
heart
last sighs!

is

for

(Euridice muore)

(Euridice dies)

RECITATIVO (ACCOMP.) ED ARIA

(ACCOMPANIED) RECITATIVE AND ARIA

Vivace;

fl,

(Orteo torna.

Non vede

quell'alma audace, che cerca del mio cor

la pace involare, il mio ben(,) l'idolo mio? Euridice!
sei?
(Egli

(RECITATIVE)
(Orieo returns.

Euridice)

Dove

vede Euridice morta)

my

ob, 2 bass, strings (D major, 4/4).

(RECITATIVO)

Dove

flat 4/4)

The last desire

Beloved. To him I vow my

voto estremo

Dello sposo io so che sia(.)

Al mio ben l'anima mia dona l'ultimo sospir.

Orfeo:

die!

CAVATINA

CAVATINA
Euridice: Del

fail,

He does

not see Euridice)

my

Where is the spirit that dares to rob me of

heart's peace? To carry away
treasure.
love,
Euridice! Where art thou, beloved spouse?
Orfeo:

my

(He sees the

lifeless

body

my

ot Euridice)

75

Cara Euridice! Onnipotenti Dei! Che miro? Amata

sposa! Ah! non rispondi? Oh Dio! L'ira del fato, il barbaro destino, felice non mi vuole. L'anima mia mori(;)
spento '1 mio sole. Spettacolo funesto! Quell'adorato
volto, che rendere solea ebbro il mio cor di gioja e di

Great Gods of power, what is this I see? O God, she

answers not! An evil spirit has torn from me a blessed
fate! My soul dies, my sun has gone out! O sight of
horror! The beloved face becomes a thing of horror.

contento, divenuto oggetto di spavento.

CANTABILE:

CANTABILE:
oboe

solo, strings.

Dlie vaghe pupille

Where

L'amorose faville
Ah(,) dove sono?
Dove sono i sospiri,

beloved eyes?

is the light
of love in those

Where

the whispers,
the broken accents of love,
the passion and caresses?

tronchi accenti,

Dove

gli

amplessi

Teneri, e vivaci?
I dolci sorrisetti,

cari baci(.)
Tutto estinto per
Barbara sorte!

All, all is lost to

Hideous

me

fate!

me.

ARIA:

ARIA:
Allegro con spiritoj 4/4; F minor; 2 ob, 2 clar

mar d'acerbe pene

Orfeo: In un

Son

fra turbini e tempeste.

Ho perduto

il

caro bene,

E mai pi non trover.

Sposa amata, ah ch'io deliro!
Questi son lugubri avanzi(!)
Spoglie infauste, ch'io rimiro
La consorte io pi non ho.
D'ogni gioja e d'ogni incanto(,)
Del mio sol io sia privo:
La mia cetra volta in pianto;

ma piangendo
76

ndarno

io vo.

(B),

Orfeo:

2 bass, 2 horns, strings.

am between

and tempest
bitter pain!

spouse!

whirlwind

in a sea of

Beloved

do see

this

tragic corpse, this

body! Madness
possesses me! I am despoiled
of every joy, of every magic under
lifeless

The sound of my lyre

weeping and I go blinded

the sun.
is

with tears!

(SCENE

(SCENA

II)

(Hall in the Palace of Creonte.

(Sala nel Palazzo di Creonte)

(Simile ad Alto

scena

Corista: Euridice (,) Signor!

Che

Scene

III})

(UNACCOMPANIED RECITATIVE)
(The body of Euridice

(La salma di Euridice poitata in scena da parecchi coristi)

Creonte:

[Same as Act

III)

(RECITATIVO SECCO)

Corista: Euridice,

che awenne?

f(,)

II)

Creonte:
Corista:

Corista: Mori(.)

What

my

is

borne

in)

lord!

occurred?

She died!

avverso fato(!)
Corista: D'Acheronte saetta(,) un angue armato sferilla 1 )
nelle piante(,) mentre essa d'Arideo s'involava all'in-

Creonte: Heavens, what do I hear? Hideous deed!

Corista:
snake, armed with the arrows of death,
gliding in the field bit her, while she fled from the

sidie

loathsome advances of Arideo

Creonte: Ah, then t'was Arideo!
Corista: My lord, he came with his followers
her off.

Creonte:

Creonte:

Stelle(!)

Che

ascolto(;)

Dunque

Corista: Signor

Arideo(. .)
co'suoi seguaci ei venne per rapirla(.)

Creonte: E f colui

si

audace?

di rabbia infellonito(,) ogni rispetto

lagnasi che di fede tu gli mancasti, e par che
fiamme e lampi vibri per gli occhi(;) e con orribil faccia
la reggia(,) il trono e i giorni tuoi minaccia(.)
oblia(,)

Creonte: Veglia in difesa mia quest'acciaro che Astrea

generosa donommi(,) e in un sol colpo ben sapr del
superbo e reo nemico(,) s'egli non pi saggio( ) punir
l'orgoglio e vendicar l'oltraggiof!)
(

to carry

He was

so daring?
Corista: Maddened in his fury and
forgetting all respect, he declared
that thou didst break faith

Creonte:

Corista: Anzi(,)

with him. His eyes darted with

fire and lightning, while with
hideous face he now threatens
thy kingdom, thy throne
and thy life itself.
Creonte: This sword, given to me
by the generous Astrea,
shall not rest until with one

blow the proud and

evil

enemy

vanguished! And if he
has not learned moderation,
his pride and outrageous act shall be punished!
is

x
)

correct: ,,ferilla".

77

ARIA:

ARIA:
Allegro, 4/4,

Creonte:

Mai non

fia 2 ) inulto(.)

Fulmina e tuona,

Tuona e fulmina
Cinta d'alloro la spada irata(.)
Vista scolpito che non perdona
Sorte nemiche l'offeso onor(.)
Alla vendetta(I) S'odan le trombe(!)
Clarini (sopra

il

Fine dell'Atto

78

in Autograph: ,,fa"

ob, bass

(col Basso), 2

horns

(C),

timp (C-G), strings.

Creonte: The angry sword, laurel-twined, was not

of mine! The thunder and the lightning be avenged!
To battle! To bloody revenge! Let the trumpets be
heard!
Trumpets (on the stage)

Teatro)

De miei campioni destar lo sdegno(.)

Per ogni dove l'eco rimbomba
Del mio guerriero giusto furor.

*)

major;

II

Let my champions arise in their wrath!

Let the echo of my warlike anger, my
just anger, sound in might!

End

of

Act

II

ATTO
(SCENA

ACT

ni

(SCENE

I)

(Tomba d'Ewidice)

CORO, VERG1NI ED UOMINI

CHORUS OF VIRGINS AND MEN

3/4;

flat

major,- 2 ob, 2 clar (B

(RECITATIVO SECCO)
anima

e sui vanni
tu porti tutte le mie speranze e i miei conforti(.) Perduto ho la mia vita, eppur io vivo del mio bel sole
privo(.) Fra le tnbre io sono e sol rawiso il mio
destino reo(.)
mio costante amor, misero Orfeo.
Creonte: Rugiadosi di pianto i lumi io sento(,) e mi
pntra l'aima il suo lamento(!)
Orfeo: (piano) Euridice, Euridice (,) invan ti chiama il
tuo sposo infelice.
voi(,) canori angelli(,) d'amore il
sen feriti, o voi feroci belve, o fiumi, o fonti, o valli,
o colli e selve(,) meco tutti piangete(.) Fate tutti dlie
mie notedolenti e^co 1 ) pietosa(,) e faccia ogni sasso(,)
ogni scoglio rimbombar aile stelle il mio cordoglio.

Orfeo: Al cielo te ne voli(

bella(

flat),

2 bass, 2

Note

in

(etc.,

strings.

miserable Orfeo!
Creonte: I see him marred with tears. I behold his
grief, and his lament doth pierce my soul!
Orfeo: (softly) Euridice, Euridice! Thine unhappy
spouse calls thee! O sweet angels of love, behold my
wounded heart! O ye wild beasts, o fountains and
valleys, o hills and woods, all, all weep with me! Make
of my sad notes a pitying echo. Every stone, every
rock doth repeat my mourning to the stars!
depart.

(He departs, desperate with

da capo).

Budapest MSS. This word

flat),

(UNACCOMPANIED RECITATIVE)
Orfeo: Ah, my love, thou hast soared to heaven, and
wilt thou take with thee all my love and comfort? I
have lost my life, I live without the sun. I wander in
shadows. I watch my fate, my constancy, my love

(Parte disperato)

CoitK Ah(,) sposo infelice

horns (E

Chorus: Ah, unhappy spuose! Thou hast forever

lost Euridice, heart of thy heart.
The lyre that sounded with happy
laughter is turned to weeping and
sad songs. A maiden's shroud hides
all the graces; the roses of love
have left her cheeks. Her lovely and so
loving eyes are closed. Even to the
stars their light has gone out.

Coro: Ah(,) sposo infelice, perduto hai per sempre

La cara Euridice, il core del tuo cor.
La cetra che tanto arnica del riso
Rivolta s' in pianto( ) flebile ognor.
Un nubile vlo le grazie nasconde.
Son sparse di gelo le rose d'amor(;)
Son chiuse le belle pupille amorose(.)
Asceso aile stelle il loro splendor.

I)

(At the grave of Euridice)

Andante;

in

is

misspelt

Chorus: Ah, unhappy spouse

,,ecco"

(etc.,

giiet)

da capo)

correct eco".

79

(UNACCOMPANIED RECITATIVE)

(RECITAT1VO SECCO)
Che sar mai d'Orfeo(?)
Corista: Misero amante(,) il seno l'abbandona(.)
Creonte: Il stupo che giunge il dispensato affetto di
valor fedele a cosi grave eccesse(.) Chi perde il caro
ben(,) perde se stesso(.)
Creonte:

Creonte:
Corista:

Where has Orfeo wandered?

Unhappy lover, reason has left

Creonte:

wonder!

How may

him.

such love, such

courage be doomed to such a fate?

his dear love loses himself.

He who

faithful

has lost

ARIA:

ARIA:
Allegro,

major

3/4,

fl,

2 ob,

2 bass, 2

horns (A), strings.

Creonte: Who lives and breathes but

without hope of love loses himself.

Creonte: Chi spira e non spera d'amar e gioire(,) e

meglio morire che viver cosi(.) Raddoppia i suoi sensi
gli incanti del core in grembo d'amore chi passa i

Better

suoi

He who spends

were

it

do

die.

days in the arms of

love, with heart enchanted, renews his life.

di(.)

(SCENA

his

(SCENE

II)

II)

(Speco tenebroso)

(A dark cavern)

(RECITATIVO SECCO)

(UNACCOMPANIED RECITATIVE)

Orfeo: Venerata Sibilla(,) tu che del ciel serbi gli arcani

in seno, dimmi dov' la sposa(,) quella che m'invol la
sorte ria(,) Euridice(,) il mio ben(,) l'anima mia(?)

Un Genio appare

in iondo alio speco, con spaventoso iiagoie

worshipped Sibyl! Thou who in Heaven art

guardian of all mysteries, tell me, where is my spouse,

Orfeo:

she whose hand holds

beloved, my soul?
(Amid a

my

happiness, Euridice,

iearlul crash oi thunder, a

my

Genio appears within the

cavern)

Genio: Se rimirar tu vuoi la tua consorte(,) segui con

alma forte i passi miei ai tenebros(i) 1 ) abissi(.) Questa
ti scorger a splendida face(,) un raggio di speranza(,)

Genio: Follow my steps with stout heart into the dark

abyss; there thou must seek thy spouse! To thy breast,
o happy mortal, shalt thou clasp thine own dear love.

aile tue brame amica(,) in lei baleno(.)

Orfeo: La speranza non che una sirena(!)

Orfeo:

r
)

80

Note

in Berlin

MS. Incorrectly spelled

tenebroso".

Hope

is

but a delusion!

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Autograph oi Orfeo (p. '256), during Finale of Act IV. For further description,
see above under the other reproduction of the Autograph.

Genio: I gemiti ed i pianti non ti posson giovar(.) Se

trovar brami efficace conforto al cor dolente della filosofia cerca il Nepente(.)

Genio:

Thy laments and thy

tears will not bring thee

thou seekst comfort for thy aching heart,
only through Philosophy that thou willst reach

comfort.
it

is

If

filosofia(,) se vuol farmi felice(,) al mio

vedovo sen renda Euridice(.) O amore, o sposa, o Dio,
mai pi non ti vedr(!)
Genio: La rivedrai(,) se moderar il tuo dsir saprai(!)

thy Nepenthe.
Orfeo: Ah, if Philosophy wishes to make me happy,
Euridice must first be returned to my aching heart.
O my love, my urge, o God, never more will I see her.
Genio: Thou willst see her again. If thou canst moderate thy mad desires!

ARIA:

ARIA:

Orfeo: Ah(,) la

Allegro,

major, 4/4, 2 ob,

2 bass,

horns

(C), 2 trpt

Genio: Al tuo seno fortunato

Stringerai l'amato bene(,)
Se tu serbi '1 core armato
Di costanza e di valor(.)
Chi cre la terra e'l cielo,
Tutto vede e tutto regge(.)
Ma l'adorna sacro velo(,)
Cui non lice penetrar(.)

(C),

timp (C-G), strings (divisi violas).

Genio: Your beloved will again be thine if with constancy and valour thou steelest thy heart. He who
made heaven and earth sees and governs all. But
beyond the shadowy veil which covers her thou must
not look.

(Da capo.)

(Da capo.)

(RECITATIVO SECCO)

(UNACCOMPANIED RECITATIVE)

Orfeo: Costanza a me si chiede? Ah(,) pria che l'amorosa mia costanza(,) che '1 mio ardor m'abbandoni(,) si
spegneran le stelle(,) diverz il sol di gelo(,) le tnbre splendenti(,) oscuro il cielo (.) La belt che m'accende invitto il cor mi rende (.) Per lei, per vagheggiarla un sol intrepido ciglio(,) son pronto ad affrontar
ogni periglio(;) non hanno orror per me gli urli feroci
del trifauce mastin(.) No, non pavento l'Eumenidi spietate(,) il pianto eterno(,) la rota, il sasso, il voratro,

you ask constancy from me? Before

my constancy shall fail, shadows shall hide the heavens, the sun shall freeze! The beauty that inflamed
Orfeo: Constancy,

my

valiant heart sustains

my

brave

spirit.

am ready

to meet every peril. The pitiless Eumenides, the terrible three-headed mastiff, the wheel, the stone, the

abyss of hell

naught can

affright

me.

l'averno(.)
81

CHORUS

CORO:
1)

Allegro,

major,

2/4,

fl,

2 ob, 2 bass, 2

horns

(D),

mortale(,)

ognor

timp (D-A), strings, 4 pt Chorus (S-A-T-B).

Chorus: Justice reigns in the hearts

of the Gods! Thou mortal, it is
granted to thee that the sun of
thy life shall shine once more upon thee.

Coro: La giustizia in cor regina(,)

2 trpts (D),

ti sia(.)

Ti sowenga una divina

Sola essenza di adorar(.)

(RECITATIVO SECCO)

(UNACCOMPANIED RECITATIVE)

Orfeo: Dove mi guidi(?)

Genio: Vieni, vieni, non paventar. Del sacro alloro se
non cingi la fronte, a te non lice di riveder la tua cara

Orfeo: Whither dost thou lead me?

Genio: Follow, have no fear! Only if thy brows are
bound with laurel mayst thou see Euridice!

Euridice(!)

Chorus da capo.

Coro da capo.
Coro: La giustizia in cor regina
(II

Genio guida Orfeo entro

Fine dell'Atto

82

Tempo

Chorus: Justice reigns in the hearts,

etc.

(The Genio leads Orfeo

lo speco)

End

III

indication missing in Autograph, supplied

down

by

editor.

of

etc.

into the depths of the cavern)

Act

III

ATTO

ACT

IV

(SCENA

(SCENE

I)

Andantel) F minor,

6/8,

fl,

2 ob, 2 bass, strings (vins, muted), 4-pt

Chorus (S-A-T-B).

Chorus: Sad and mourning

languid, a hundred years
never finding pity, for our

Coro: Infelici ombre dolenti(,)

Cento lustri varcar dobbiamo(;)

Meste e pallide e languenti
Senza mai trovar piet.
il

I)

(The underworld, on the shores of the river Lethe)

(Nell'Averno. Le sponde del Lete)

(Orfeo ed

IV

spirits, grieving,

we wander,
grief.

(Orfeo and the Genio descend

Genio appariscono sulla sponda lontana del fiume)

pale and

ever seeking,

to the far

bank

of the river)

(RECITATIVO SECCO)

(UNACCOMPANIED RECITATIVE)

Orfeo: Che ascolto, oh Numi(!)

Genio: Queste son le voci funeste di Spiriti sventurati
a cui non lice per cento anni varcar il cieco obblio(.)
Ma seguimi(j) Caronte nella barca fatale dell'acerbo
destino(,) anche a dispetto( ) a noi dar ricetto(!)

Orfeo: Ye gods, what do I hear?

Genio: These are the ghostly voices of unhappy spirits! For scores on scores of years have they sought
oblivion for their pain. Now follow me; Charon in his
dread bark will dare the fates and give us passage.
(Orfeo and the Genio step onto the boat. The furies rush down to

(Orieo ed il Genio s'inbarcano nella barca di Caronte. Le furie si

precipitano verso la sponda vicina ed impediscono ad Orfeo di
approdare)

CORO
Vivace,

il

minor

4/4, 2

fl,

CHORUS OF FURIES

2 ob, 2 bass, 2

1
)

fier lioni

Tempo

penar(.)

indication missing in both

horns

(D), 2 trpt

(D), 2

trombones

alti,

strings,

Male chorus (Ten-Bass).

Chorus: Listen! These are

ruggian( )
E accompagnano i lamenti Fischiano
Ed il nostro lagrimar.
i

bank and would prevent Orfeo from landing)

DI FURIE

Coro: Urli orrendi(,) disperati,

Qui si sente ogni momento
E rimbombi di spavento,

Che raddoppiano
Fremon gli orsi

the near

serpenti

shrieks of despair
that you hear! Great
thunderings add terror
to pain. The bear's
rage, the proud lion'(s)
roar, the serpent's
hiss, join with our tears

Autograph and Budapest MS, supplied

after

Breitkopf score.

83

and laments. Earthquake

and thunder echo in the
darkness. These are the
sounds and the songs that
must torment the heart.

Terremoti, orrendi tuoni

Nella rea magion del pianto(.)
Sono i tuoni e sono il canto
Che suol l'alma tormentar.

(UNACCOMPANIED RECITATIVE)

(RECITATIVO SECCO)
Orfeo:

Signor(,)

che

all'

ombre

tuo core(,)
dell'amor senta

imperi(,)

intenerito da quel foco a te gradito(

il

piet(!)

God, whose pitying heart rules in the

shadows, let thy heart be melted by the fire of my

Orfeo:
love.

CORO

CHORUS (OF

(DI FURIE)

(Le furie impietosite permettono ad Orfeo di approdare)

Allegro,

major, 4/4 alia breve, 2

fl,

FURIES)

(The furies take pity and allow Orfeo

2 ob, 2 bass, 2 horns (D), 2 trpts (D), timp (D-A), strings,

to

touch land)

Male chorus (Ten-Bass).

Coro: Trionfi oggi piet

Chorus: Pity today has triumphed in our darkened

Ne'campi inferni(,)
E sia la gloria e il vanto

kingdom; your tears, your

the glory and the prize.

faithful heart,

have won

Delle lagrime tue(,) del tuo bel canto.

(Pluto appte tra le furie che si scostano)

(Pluto appears

(RECITATIVO SECCO)

among

the furies,

who cower and

(UNACCOMPANIED RECITATIVE)
Into my kingdom, servitors eternal, guide

O della Reggia mia ministri eterni(,) scorgete voi

per entro all'aer scuro l'amator fido alia sua donna

Pluto:

amante(.) Scendi(,) gentil amante ( ) scendi lieto e sicuro

entro le nostre soglie(,) e la diletta moglie teco rimane
al ciel sereno e puro(!)
Orfeo:
fortunati miei dolci sospiri(!)
Genio:
ben versati pianti.
Orfeo: O me felice sovra gli altri amanti(!)

cend, secure and happy, gentle

threshold! Where she awaits thee is
pure!
blessed are my yearning sighs!
Orfeo:

Pluto:

O
O

(Orfeo ed

il

Genio scendono dalla barca. Un balletto

di

ombre

faithful lover to his spouse

Genio:
Orfeo:

O
O well-shed
O happy am

among

lovers!

Among them

is

major,

2/4,

fl,

2 ob, 2 bass, 2

horns

(D),

strings.

ballet of shades enters

Euridice covered by a

(BALLET)
D

the

Deslover! Cross our

a light serene and
air.

tears!
I

(BALLETTO)
84

amid the dusky

(Orfeo and the Genio land from the boat.

entra in scena, fra di esse Euridice, coperta da un velo)

Allegretto,

scatter)

veil)

(UNACCOMPANIED RECITATIVE)

(RECITATIVO SECCO)
Orfeo: Quai dolci e care note ascolto(!) O Dei del
cielo(,) o sommo Giove( ) ond' cotanta grazia e tanto
dono(?)

Orfeo:

dear and gentle tones

on my ear? O Gods of Heaven,

o great Jove, from whom come down such
graces and such gifts!
Genio: Behold Euridice, beautiful and dear! She comes
to bring thee back thy happiness!
leads directly into chorus

fall

Genio: Ecco la bella tua cara Euridice(,)

vien per renderti felice(!)
attaco subito il coro

What

a te sen

CHORUS

CORO:
Allegro,

Coro: Son

major,

2/4,

2fl,

2 ob, 2 bass,

Non

tarai

horns

(D), str., 4-pt

che sospirar(.)

(Euridice

(Euridice viene guidata verso Orieo)

desiri tuoi(,) se la

mette davanti ad Orieo e

si toglie il

led to Orieo)

Obey

the laws, curb your desire! Thus only

keep Euridice!

(Orfeo touches Euridice with his hands, without looking at her)

Euridice: Dov' lo dolce amato sposo(,) la soave mia

speranza(.) Anche in ciel non io riposo, se mi priva
del suo amor(!)
si

Genio:

may you

(Orfeo palpa Euridice senza guardarla)

(Euridice

is

(UNACCOMPANIED RECITATIVE)

(RECITATIVO SECCO)
Genio: Sovvengati la legge(,) frena
cara Euridice aver tu vuoi(.)

chorus (S-A-T-B).

Chorus: Your sorrows are now ended.

Yet with one look on thy beloved spouse
your love is lost again,
and unhappiness will be thy lot.

tue pne,
Ma( ) se miri la tua sposa( )
Perderai l'amato bene,
finite le

vlo)

Euridice:

Where

Without thy love

is
I

my

beloved,

have no

rest in

my

sweet
Heaven.

hope?

(Euridice places herself directly in front of Orfeo and removes

her veil)

Orfeo: O sempiterni Dei(,) pur veggio i tuoi bei lumi(,)

tuo volto(,) e par ch'anco non creda agli occhi miei(!)
Euridice: Dunque mortal valor cotanto impetra.
Orfeo: Dell'alto don fu degno mio dolce canto e'1 suon
di questa cetra(!)

Orfeo: O Eternal Gods, I see once more thy shining

eyes, thy gracious face! Can I believe my eyes?
Euridice: Man's valour then can win so great a prize!
Orfeo: My sweet song and the sound of my lyre have
gained this heavenly gift!

(Le furie s'impadroniscono di Euridice e la conducono via)

(The furies seize Euridice and lead her away)

il

Genio: Ohim, che veggo(,) o Numi, giunto

menta

reo(.)

Tu

il

mo-

sei perduto(,) io t'abbandono(,) Orfeo(!)

(11

Genio sparisce)

Genio: Alas, what do I see! This is the fatal hour!

Orfeo, once more thou art lost. I abandon thee!
(The Genio disappears)
85

(ACCOMPANIED) RECITATIVE AND ARIA

RECITATIVO (ACCOMP.) ED ARIA

Allegro con brio, B

flat

major,

4/4,

fl,

2 ob, 2 bass, 2

horns (E

flat),

strings.

Orfeo: Perduto un altra volta ho '1 core del mio cor,

l'inima mia. Ah(,) di me che mai fia! Non mi veggo
d'intorno che nembi di spavento, la reggia del contento sparita per sempre; e in un istante tornata
la magion del pianto eterno( ) ho nel mio cor l'inferno.

Orfeo: Lost once more to me is the heart of my heart,

soul of my soul! All about me are the clouds of fear!
What shall become of me? Gone for ever is the kingdom of my joy! In the twinkling of an eye the reign
of darkness is round about me. In my heart is doom.

ARIA:

ARIA:

Allegro agitato, E

Orfeo:

Mi

flat

major, 4/4, instrumentation as before.

sento languire,

Orfeo:

my

Morire mi sento,
E il hero tormento
Crescendo gi va.

I fail,

agony

is

die,

sore!

pitiless stars,

proud stars, tyrant stars,

why must such anguish be?

stelle spietate!

Fieri astri tiranni(!)

Perch tanti affanni(,)

Si gran crudelt?
(Da Capo)

(Da Capo)

(SCENA
come

(Spiaggia rocciosa,

(SCENE

II ?)

nell'Atto primo, scena

(Rocky shore, as

1)

in

II ?)

Act

1,

Scene

1)

Although neither manuscript contains any scene directions whatsoever, the divisions as well as the nature of each scene is
clearly indicated in the body of the Text, with the single exception of the final scene. Haydn is, however, known to have stated in a
letter to Marianna von Genzinger that the opera was in five acts, the last of which he stated, was "very short". On purely dramaturgical grounds, a change of scene from the underworld to the upper world of mortals is indicated. For practical production of the opera
a return of Orfeo to the scene of his first encounter with Euridice seems logical; it is included here with all necessary reservations.

(RECITATIVO SECCO)

(UNACCOMPANIED RECITATIVE)

(Orfeo solo e sconsolato)

(Orfeo alone and disconsolate)

Orfeo: Barbaro infido

lacerarmi il core(?)
(Un coro
x
)

86

The Breitkopf score

amore(,)

cessar

di baccanti si avvicina)

is

marked only

Allegro.

non vuoi

di

Orfeo: O cruel, false love, will

you forever tear my heart?
(A chorus of bacchae approaches)

CORO

DI

CHORUS OF BACCANTI

BACCANTI
Andantino,

major, 3/4, 2

fl,

2 ob,

2 bass,

Women

str.

Chorus: Beloved Orfeo, come, o come! Be no longer

sorrowful! Give yourself to us for love and pleasure!

Coro: Vieni, vieni, amato Orfeo,

Qui dolente star tu voi;
Deh(,) consacra i giorni tuoi
All'amore ed al piacer.

(RECITATIVO SECCO)
Orfeo: Perfide, non turbate di pi il mio afflitto core(!)
Io rinunzio all'amore e ai piacer de'mortali(,) al vostro
sesso imbelle(!)

Baccante

Cosa mai
Orfeo:

Orfeo:

(UNACCOMPANIED RECITATIVE)
False temptresses, cease to assail my sorrowing

heart! Forever do
hideous sex!

Baccante: [furious]

Come(?)

[furiosa]:

chorus (Sop-Alt).

What

Si(,)

per voi devo trar giorni

1)

Orfeo: Yes! Because of you

infelici(!)

thou say?

major,

3/4,

fl,

ob, 2 bass,

str.

Women

il

licore, e si sente subito

Orfeo a cup)

(He

Chorus: Dead

Tracio cantore.
Allegro, F major, 2/4, 2

fl,

2 ob, 2 bass,

(Le Baccanti diventano impazzite e vogliono fare Orfeo a pezzi)

is

immediately poisoned)

Orfeo: Ah! Already to my heart the poison creeps! Life

leaves me! The heavens grow dark. All pain shall end
in death.

(Muore)

indication,

offers

(Orfeo drinks from the cup and

avvelenato)

Ohim! Che gi nel seno mi serpe un rio

veleno(,) sento mancar la vita(.) Il ciel s'oscura; finira
con la morte ogni sciagura.
il

live forlorn!

Chorus: Drink, drink of this cup! Drink the nectar of

love! In this sweet draught all happiness is found.

Orfeo:

Coro: Morto

must

chorus (Sop-Alt).

(A "baccante"

Coro: Bevi, bevi in questa tazza,

Bevi il nettare d'amore!
Ti dar questo licore
Ogni gran flicita!
(Orfeo beve

FINALE
Andantino,

(Una baccante porge una tazza ad Orieo)

Tempo

dids't

dice(?)

FINALE

*)

here renounce the love of your

strings.

is

Women

dies)

the Thracian singer!

chorus.

(The bacchae go into a

mad frenzy and prepare to tear Orfeo

limb from limb)

missing in MSS, supplied from Breitkopf score.

87

Chorus:

D'insolito furore

s'accende

il nostro cor.
L'isola del diletto si para a noi davanti;
ivi cerchiam ricetto,

non abbiam timor

We

go, friends, we go. Such pain, such fate,

sets fire to our hearts! Have no fear, the isle of delight
shines before us. There our shelter is surely found

Coro: Andiamo, Amiche, andiamo!

Same tempo, D minor,

3/4, 2 A, 2 ob, 2 bass, 2

horns

(D), 2 trpt (D), 2

trombones

alti,

timp (D-A),

str.

Women

chorus (Sop-Alt).

(Sorge una tempesta sul mare, con lampi, tuoni e procelle. Enormi
ondate annegano le Baccanti impazzite di tenoie)

(A storm arises from afar. Lightning. Thunder and rain. Enormous

waves envelop the scene as the storm reaches its height. The
bacchae, frenzied with fear are drowned)

Choro: Oh(,) che orrore!

Oh(,) che spaventi,
Oh(,) che fulmini!
Oh(,j che tuoni!
Cento furie in sen mi sento,

Chorus: O horror! O fear!

What whirlwind, O what
thunder! Our hearts are
encompassed with terror!
We are drowning!

Siam vicine a naufragar.

We

(La tempesta si calma a poco a poco, lasciando la scena vuota ed

oscura. La salma di Oiieo viene portata via dalle acque)

(The storm gradually dies away, leaving the stage empty and dark.
The remains of Orfeo are carried away by the waters)

FINE

END

sink!

(Translation copyright 1951

by

HAYDN

SOCIETY, INC,)
|

WELLESLEY COLLEGE LIBRARY

3 5002 03505 5677

Music MT 100

H42 H39 1951

Haydn Society (Boston,

Mass.

Joseph Haydn